The Kwara State Police Command has confirmed that suspected armed bandits carried out a coordinated midnight attack on Yashikira community in Baruten Local Government Area, setting part of the Emir’s palace ablaze and abducting 10 people, including wives and children of the traditional ruler, Alhaji Umar Seriki.
According to the Command, the attackers struck at about 2:00 a.m. on Monday in a simultaneous assault on the Yashikira Police Divisional Headquarters and the Emir’s palace, describing the operation as “coordinated and desperate.”
In a statement issued by Police Public Relations Officer Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, the Command said the assailants abducted 10 residents during the raid, while police operatives successfully repelled the attack on the divisional headquarters.
“The Kwara State Police Command condemns in the strongest terms the cowardly and audacious attack carried out by suspected bandits in the early hours of today, 25/5/26, in Yashikira, Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State,” the statement read.
“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,” it added.
The Command said part of the palace was set on fire during the attack, while the abducted victims were taken to an unknown destination.
Following the incident, Commissioner of Police Ojo Adekimi ordered a full-scale tactical response involving the military, police, forest guards, vigilantes and other security agencies to rescue the victims and track down the attackers.
“The Command remains battle-ready and fully determined to confront these enemies of peace with every lawful operational asset at its disposal,” the statement said.
“We will deploy everything within our capacity to smoke them out of hiding, dismantle their networks, rescue all abducted victims, and ensure they face the full weight of the law,” it added.
However, earlier accounts from residents suggested the attackers struck between midnight and 2:00 a.m., firing sporadically before storming the palace and surrounding areas.
A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said three wives and four children of the traditional ruler were among those abducted.
“I just spoke with my father. He said three of the Emir’s wives and four children were abducted, along with other residents,” the source said.
Another witness, Tukur Ahmed, said the attackers arrived on motorcycles and moved directly to the palace complex.
“They came on motorcycles, shooting into the air and heading straight for the palace. They broke into the inner quarters where the Emir’s wives and children were,” he said.
“They abducted three wives and four children, and also took other residents, before setting vehicles ablaze and fleeing,” he added.
Sources also confirmed that several vehicles belonging to the palace were torched during the raid, causing extensive property damage estimated in millions of naira.
It was further gathered that the Emir was not present in the palace at the time of the attack.
Security agencies have since launched bush-combing and surveillance operations in the area to rescue the victims and apprehend the attackers.
Kwara North has in recent months witnessed a surge in bandit attacks, with repeated incidents targeting rural communities, highways and traditional institutions across Baruten, Kaiama, Edu and Patigi local government areas.
