Gunmen have abducted 10 individuals following a coordinated overnight assault on the Yashikira Emir's palace in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State, just days after another deadly kidnapping incident in the state.
Attack Details
According to the Kwara State Police Command, the attackers struck around 2 a.m. on Monday, simultaneously targeting the Yashikira Police Divisional Headquarters and the Emir's palace. Police spokesperson Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi stated that the assailants set part of the palace on fire during the operation, abducted 10 victims, and whisked them away to an unknown location.
“The armed criminals, in a coordinated and desperate assault at about 0200hrs, simultaneously attacked the Yashikira Police Divisional Headquarters and the Palace of the Emir of Yashikira,” the statement said. “During the attack, part of the palace was set ablaze, while ten people were abducted and taken to an unknown destination. However, the attack on the police station was successfully repelled by police operatives on duty.”
Police Response
The command said the Commissioner of Police, Ojo Adekimi, has ordered a full-scale, intelligence-driven operation involving security agencies, including the military, vigilantes, and forest guards, to rescue the victims and track down the attackers. Police assured residents that security operations had been intensified across vulnerable areas of the state, with ongoing surveillance, intelligence gathering, and bush-combing exercises.
The Commissioner of Police warned that the command would not be intimidated by criminal groups operating in the state. “These criminals have declared war against peace-loving citizens, and we are fully prepared to hunt them down relentlessly,” he said, adding that all available operational resources would be deployed to rescue the abducted victims.
