Suspected bandits launched a coordinated assault on the Yashikira Police Divisional Headquarters and the palace of the Emir of Yashikira in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State early Saturday morning, abducting 10 residents during the operation.
The attack happened around 2:00 am, according to a statement from the Kwara State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi. The gunmen set part of the Emir's palace on fire during the raid, but police operatives on duty at the divisional headquarters managed to repel the assault.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Ojo Adekimi, has ordered a full-scale security operation involving police, forest guards and vigilantes to rescue the abducted persons and apprehend the attackers. "These criminals have declared war against peace-loving citizens, and we are fully prepared to hunt them down relentlessly," Adekimi said in the statement.
The coordinated nature of the attack, targeting both government security infrastructure and the traditional ruler's residence simultaneously, signals a brazen escalation in criminal activity in the area. Police did not immediately provide details on the identities of the abducted residents or the motive behind the assault.
The operation will continue across Kaiama and surrounding areas as security forces intensify efforts to track the bandits and secure the release of the captives.
