The Kwara State Police Command has confirmed the abduction of ten persons by gunmen who launched a midnight attack on the Emir of Yashikira and simultaneously assaulted the local divisional police headquarters.
Available information indicated that the assault occurred at approximately 2:00 AM on Monday, targeting the Yashikira community in the Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State.
This comes barely 48 hours after three worshippers were killed and 15 others abducted at a prayer ground in Ekiti LGA of Kwara state.
A statement on Monday by the spokesperson of the state’s command, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, confirmed the latest attack.
“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 reads.
“During the attack, part of the palace was set ablaze, while ten people were abducted and taken to an unknown destination.
“However, the attack on the police station was successfully repelled by police operatives on duty.”
Following the incident, the statement added that the Commissioner of Police, Ojo Adekimi, has ordered an intelligence-led 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 apprehend the perpetrators.
The police commissioner assured residents that the command would not succumb to threats or intimidation by criminal elements operating in any part of the state.
“These criminals have declared war against peace-loving citizens, and we are fully prepared to hunt them down relentlessly.
“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,” CP Adekimi said.
The command also assured residents of Yashikira and other parts of Kaiama LGA that security operations had been intensified across vulnerable communities, with surveillance, intelligence gathering and bush-combing operations ongoing.
