10 abducted as bandits raze palace in Kwara community

The Kwara State Police Command has confirmed that suspected armed bandits launched a coordinated midnight attack on Yashikira community in Baruten Local Government Area, burning part of the Emir’s palace and abducting 10 people, including wives and children of the traditional ruler, Alhaji Umar Seriki.

The Command said 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 it as a “coordinated and desperate operation.”

In a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, the command said the attack resulted in the abduction of 10 persons, while security operatives successfully repelled the assault on the police station.

“The Kwara State Police Command condemns in the strongest possible 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 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 read.

It added that “during the attack, part of the palace was set ablaze, while ten people were abducted and taken to an unknown destination,” noting that the police station attack was repelled by operatives on duty.

Following the incident, Commissioner of Police, Ojo Adekimi, ordered a full-scale tactical operation involving the military, police, forest guards, vigilantes, and other security stakeholders 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 and strategy at its disposal,” the police said.

“We will deploy everything within our operational capacity to smoke them out of hiding, dismantle their networks, rescue all abducted victims, and ensure they face the full wrath of the law,” the statement added.

However, earlier accounts from residents said the attackers stormed the community between about 12:00 a.m. and 2:00 a.m., firing sporadically before advancing on 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 during the invasion.

“I just finished communicating with my father right now. In his report, he said three of the wives of the Emir and four children were abducted, including some resident members of the community,” the resident said.

Another witness, Tukur Ahmed, said the attackers arrived on motorcycles and moved directly to the palace complex.

“They came on motorcycles and went straight to the palace. They were shooting into the air and broke into the inner quarters where the Emir’s wives and children were,” he said.

“They took three of the wives and four children, alongside some other residents, before setting the cars on fire and leaving the town,” he added.

Sources also confirmed that several vehicles belonging to the palace were set ablaze 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.

Meanwhile, security agencies have commenced bush-combing and surveillance operations across the area as part of ongoing efforts to rescue the victims and apprehend the attackers.

Kwara North has in recent months witnessed an escalation in banditry, with repeated attacks on rural communities, highways, and traditional institutions across Baruten, Kaiama, Edu, and Patigi local government areas.