The Kwara State Police Command has confirmed a midnight attack on Yashikira community in the Baruten Local Government Area by suspected armed bandits. The incident, which occurred around 2:00 a.m., involved a simultaneous assault on the Yashikira Police Divisional Headquarters and the Emir’s palace, resulting in part of the palace being set ablaze and the abduction of 10 individuals, including the wives and children of the traditional ruler, Alhaji Umar Seriki.

The police described the attack as a “coordinated and desperate operation,” with attackers also attempting to seize the police station but were repelled by security operatives on duty. The Police Public Relations Officer, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, expressed deep condemnation of the raid, emphasizing the cowardless nature of the assault.

In response to the violence, Commissioner of Police Ojo Adekimi has initiated a comprehensive tactical operation involving military forces, police, forest guards, and local vigilantes aimed at locating the abducted victims and tracking the perpetrators. The police committed to using all available resources to dismantle the criminal networks associated with the attack and to ensure that those responsible face legal consequences.

Witness accounts detail the attackers arriving on motorcycles, firing sporadically before targeting the palace directly. Residents reported that three wives and four children of the Emir were among the abducted, while several vehicles from the palace were also torched, resulting in substantial property damage.

Additionally, the Emir was absent during the raid. Security forces have since commenced bush-combing operations and surveillance in the area, as banditry has been on the rise in Kwara North, affecting multiple local governments, including Baruten, Kaiama, Edu, and Patigi.