Christian King Dragged From His Palace and Beaten to Death While His Wife Watched
Armed gunmen stormed a Nigerian palace, killing a devoted Anglican Christian monarch who resisted kidnapping. His wife watched him die.
Christian Monarch Killed by Armed Gunmen in Ondo State Nigeria Palace Attack
Armed gunmen stormed the palace of a devoted Anglican Christian monarch in Ondo State, Nigeria, on Wednesday evening, February 18, killing the traditional ruler in a violent assault that has shocked communities across southwest Nigeria.
Approximately ten heavily armed attackers invaded the royal palace of Oba Kehinde Jacob Falodun, the Alagamo of Agamo Community in Akure North Local Government Area, at around 7:10 p.m. The assailants opened fire sporadically, sending residents fleeing into the darkness. Three gunmen reportedly guarded the entrance while others stormed inside.
"They just came and started shooting. They were about 10. Three stayed at the entrance while others came inside. I ran into the bush. They kept dragging my husband, and I kept shouting for help." The Olori (queen) of Agamo
The Oba fiercely resisted the kidnapping attempt. According to his daughter, the attackers fired multiple rounds at the monarch, but the bullets did not penetrate his body. Frustrated, the gunmen dragged him from the palace and struck him on the head with a blunt weapon, killing him. His body was found meters from the residence.
The attackers were reported to have spoken Hausa and were dressed as Fulani herders. They entered the community through the Itaogbolu corridor, an area along the Owo to Akure route where kidnappings have escalated dramatically.
Ondo State Traditional Ruler Assassinated After Resisting Kidnap by Suspected Fulani Gunmen
Oba Falodun was a devoted Christian, a member of the Anglican Church, and a member of the Ondo State Traditional Council. Community leaders described him as "a peace loving leader who played a major role in resolving disputes and promoting development in the community." He had publicly supported closer coordination between hunters, vigilantes, and formal security agencies to combat the kidnapping epidemic spreading along the Owo to Akure and Owo to Benin corridors.
Police Commissioner Adebowale Lawal visited the community alongside representatives from the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and the Department of State Services. He vowed that "those who murdered the traditional ruler of Agamo village would be apprehended and prosecuted."
Clerics from the Concerned Igbo Ministers Commission condemned the killing, calling it an act of "suspected Fulani terrorists" and urging Yoruba and Igbo communities to unite against what they called a "common enemy."
The Crusader's Opinion
A Christian king was dragged from his own palace and beaten to death by men who spoke Hausa and dressed as Fulani herders. His wife watched it happen. His daughter watched it happen. And I guarantee the international media will not give this story a single headline. This was not random crime. This was targeted savagery against a Christian leader who dared to organize his community's defense. Nigeria's government has failed its Christians at every level. A man of God who devoted his life to peace was slaughtered in his own home while the state looked the other way. How many more monarchs, pastors, and fathers have to die before the world stops pretending this is not a religious war?
Take Action
- Share this story widely. Use the name Oba Kehinde Jacob Falodun so the world cannot ignore another Christian leader murdered in Nigeria.
- Contact the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria and demand that American diplomatic pressure address the escalating violence against Christians in southwest Nigeria.
- Support Open Doors in their critical work supporting persecuted Christians in Nigeria, ranked the sixth most dangerous country for believers.
- Donate to The Shepherd's Shield to fund emergency relief and protection for Christian communities under siege in West Africa.
- Support Voice of the Martyrs who provide direct aid to families of Christians killed and displaced by violence in Nigeria.
- Pray for the family of Oba Falodun, for the Agamo community, and for all Christians living under the threat of violence in Nigeria's expanding kidnapping corridors.
