Midnight Horror in Kwara as Bandits Burn Emir’s Palace, Abduct 10 Residents

The Kwara State Police Command has condemned what it described as a cowardly and coordinated attack by suspected bandits on Yashikira community in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State, during which ten residents were abducted and part of the Emir’s palace razed.

The attack was disclosed in a press statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, and made available to journalists in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.

According to the statement, the heavily armed criminals launched the attack at about 2 a.m. on Sunday, simultaneously targeting the Yashikira Police Divisional Headquarters and the Palace of the Emir of Yashikira.

The police revealed that operatives on duty successfully repelled the attack on the divisional headquarters, forcing the assailants to retreat from the facility. However, the hoodlums reportedly set part of the Emir’s palace ablaze and abducted ten persons who were taken to an unknown destination.

Following the incident, the Commissioner of Police in Kwara State, Ojo Adekimi, ordered an immediate full-scale tactical operation involving the Police, Military, Forest Guards, Vigilantes, and other security agencies to comb surrounding forests and suspected criminal hideouts in a bid to rescue the victims and arrest the perpetrators.

The police boss assured residents that the command remains battle-ready and would not yield to threats or intimidation by criminal elements. He vowed that security operatives would relentlessly pursue the attackers, dismantle their networks, and ensure those behind the attack are brought to justice.

The Command added that surveillance, intelligence gathering, and aggressive bush-combing operations have been intensified across vulnerable communities in Baruten Local Government Area and other parts of the state to prevent further attacks and restore public confidence.