Police in western Nigeria have arrested 42 suspected illegal miners as part of an investigation into the abduction of a local monarch.
Oba Salman Olatunji Aweda, the ruler of the Olayinka community in Ifelodun in Kwara state, was kidnapped on Saturday evening when armed men stormed his palace.
The kidnappers have reportedly demanded a ransom of $300,000 (£221,000) to free the traditional ruler, though the authorities have not confirmed this.
Police are conducting search operations in the surrounding area as fears grow about security in Kwara state, which has seen a recent rise in attacks on rural communities.
For years, members of criminal gangs - known locally as bandits - have carried out killings and kidnappings for ransom, mainly targeting those in the north-west - but they have been moving to other parts of the country more recently.
