A newly installed monarch in Olayinka community in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, has been abducted.

About 10 suspected terrorists reportedly invaded the palace abducting the traditional ruler, his wife, and one other individual during a midnight raid.

The incident occurred Saturday when the royal father and others were asleep.

The attack, which was believed to have taken place around 1:40 a.m., saw the armed assailants firing sporadically before whisking away their victims.

The monarch had only recently been installed by the state government, making the incident shocking for the community.

The recent incident marked the third abduction of traditional rulers in Kwara South senatorial district in the last five months.

In December 2025, the Ojibara of Bayagan Ile, Kamilu Salami, was kidnapped and later released after ransom was paid.

In February 2026, the Oniwo of Afin, Oba Simeon Olanipekun, was abducted alongside his son. They also regained freedom after ransom was paid.

A member of the Olayinka community who spoke with THISDAY on condition of anonymity in Ilorin Saturday, described the latest raid as terrifying and unprecedented.

He warned that insecurity in the region had reached alarming levels.

Some of the members of the community have called for urgent government and security intervention to protect traditional rulers, who have become the prime targets of criminal gangs.

When contacted, a senior police officer with the Ifelodun Local Government Divisional Police Headquarters at Share who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the ugly development.

He said: “We are working round towards ensuring the rescue of the victims.”

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has fired the President Bola Tinubu government, and accused the  administration of being  more interested in controlling media narratives than ensuring free, and fair elections.

The African Democratic Congress presidential aspirant says the recent advisory issued by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) is an attempt to stifle free expression and silence dissent in the media.

The NBC had, on Saturday, cautioned presenters against presenting opinions as facts or intimidating guests.

The commission also warned that as Nigeria enters a critical electoral period, the airwaves must not be used to propagate misinformation.

Reacting in an X post on Saturday night, Atiku said the code of conduct advisory is “yet another troubling attempt to muzzle the media and shrink the space for free expression in Nigeria”.

He said the country’s media industry has grown into a formidable institution, respected globally for its resilience and professionalism, adding that it is “alarming” that the NBC resorts to “heavy-handed directives” whenever elections approach.

“I stand firmly with Nigeria’s broadcast industry and all media platforms resisting this creeping censorship,” Atiku said

The former vice-president added that ethical standards in journalism should not be “seasonal tools to be weaponised during campaigns”.

According to him, the timing and tone of the regulations suggest a deeper agenda.

Atiku accused the government of being more interested in controlling the narrative than in ensuring a free, fair, and transparent electoral process.

The NBC directive comes amid heightened political activity ahead of the 2027 general election.

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is expected to field President Bola Tinubu for re-election, while opposition figures have joined forces in the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

The key opposition stakeholders are Atiku Abubakar, who recently indicated the race could be his final presidential bid, alongside Peter Obi, 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party; Rabiu Kwankwaso, former governor of Kano; Nasir el-Rufai, former Kaduna governor; and Rotimi Amaechi, former minister and ex-Rivers governor.

The opposition has framed the coalition as a strategy to strengthen electoral competition and challenge the dominance of the ruling party.

Television broadcasters and anchors, will now face sanctions for any action or remark deemed by the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, to constitute a  breach of the Nigerian broadcasting codes.

The NBC issued the warning in a notice to broadcasters on Friday.

NBC said the warning comes amid an alleged surge in unprofessional broadcast conduct across Nigerian news broadcast platforms.

The regulator told broadcasters that it would enforce strict and uncompromised compliance with every provision of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code, particularly those relating to fairness, balance, accuracy, hate speech, incitement, and respect for constitutional bodies.

NBC warned broadcasters to ensure professionalism in handling politics, communal and war issues.

“The broadcaster shall exhibit professionalism in handling the transmission, especially sensitive issues such as politics, communal conflicts, and wars.

Specifically, it threatened sanctions on anchors or presenters found to have expressed personal opinion as fact, bullied or intimidated a guest, denied a fair hearing to opposing views, or otherwise compromised neutrality, or be disrespectful to human dignity.