Suspected terrorists invaded Yashikira community in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State late at night, setting the Emir’s palace ablaze and abducting several residents including women, children, and the Emir’s wives, according to local sources.
Afrika Eyes reported that the heavily armed assailants stormed the border community late at night, firing sporadically before targeting the palace. “The bandits invaded Yashikira in the night and attacked the palace. They set the palace on fire and kidnapped many women and children, including the Emir’s wives,” a source told the outlet.
Residents said the attackers operated for hours without resistance, creating panic as villagers fled in different directions. “People were running in different directions to save their lives. The attackers were heavily armed and nobody could confront them. They burned the palace and took several people away,” another local source said.
The attack has heightened fears in Baruten LGA, a region that has faced repeated security threats linked to armed bandits and cross-border criminal groups. Community members lamented the worsening insecurity and called on security agencies and the Kwara State Government to intensify efforts to rescue the abducted victims and prevent further attacks.
Baruten and neighboring Kaiama LGA have become flashpoints in Kwara North, with residents reporting incursions by a group identified as the Mahmuda faction. Locals allege the group operates from the Kainji Lake National Park axis and has been targeting fringe villages to establish control. In June 2025, gunmen suspected to be members of the same group attacked Karongi town in Baruten, killing one person and burning houses.
Kwara’s northern LGAs border Niger State and Benin Republic, making them vulnerable to cross-border criminal activity. The area has seen repeated abductions, with some victims held for ransom. In a separate incident in Patigi LGA earlier this year, terrorists demanded N300 million for seven abducted victims.
The Kwara State Government has repeatedly pledged to strengthen security in the north, deploying vigilantes and calling for federal intervention. Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has previously condemned attacks in the region and confirmed federal approval for troop deployment under Operation Savannah Shield….See More
