Bandits Attack Kwara Community, Burn Emir’s Palace, Abduct Wives, Children

Bandits on Monday carried out a midnight coordinated attack on Yashikira community in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State, setting part of the Emir’s palace on fire and abducting members of the royal household, including wives and children of the traditional ruler, Alhaji Umar Seriki.

The attack, which reportedly occurred between 12:00 a.m. and 2:00 a.m., involved heavily armed assailants who stormed the border community on motorcycles, firing sporadically as they advanced toward the palace and a nearby police formation.

Eyewitnesses said the attackers overwhelmed local security operatives before forcing their way into the palace, where they abducted several occupants and caused panic across the community.

One resident, who spoke anonymously for safety reasons, said the attackers took multiple members of the Emir’s household amid chaos and heavy gunfire, while others fled for safety, some sustaining injuries.

Another resident, Tukur Ahmed, said the gunmen went directly to the palace, broke into the inner quarters, and abducted victims before setting vehicles ablaze and escaping the area.

Sources confirmed that several vehicles within the palace compound were torched, resulting in significant property damage. The Emir was reportedly not in the palace during the attack.

The Kwara State Police Command confirmed the incident, stating that coordinated attacks were launched simultaneously on the Yashikira Police Divisional Headquarters and the Emir’s palace.

According to the police, part of the palace was set ablaze and 10 persons were abducted, while the attack on the police station was repelled by officers on duty.

Following the incident, the Commissioner of Police ordered a full-scale joint security operation involving the military, police, vigilantes, and other security agencies to rescue the victims and track down the attackers.

Security forces have since commenced search-and-rescue operations across surrounding forests and suspected hideouts, with authorities assuring residents of intensified deployments in vulnerable communities.

The Command reiterated its commitment to dismantling criminal networks and ensuring the safe return of abducted victims.

Meanwhile, insecurity in Kwara North has continued to escalate in recent months, with repeated incidents of mass abductions, armed raids, and attacks on rural communities and security formations across Baruten, Kaiama, Edu, and Patigi LGAs.

In a related development, the Chairman of Ekiti Local Government Area has suspended night vigils in worship centres following a separate attack that led to deaths and abductions, urging religious bodies in remote areas to prioritise safety and relocate night activities to more secure locations.