Suspected armed bandits on Monday launched a coordinated midnight assault on Yashikira community in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State, attacking both the police divisional headquarters and the palace of the Emir of Yashikira, Alhaji Umaru Seriki Usman.
The attackers reportedly abducted at least 10 persons, including two wives of the traditional ruler and some of his children, during the operation which threw the border community into panic.
Residents said the heavily armed assailants stormed the town around 2:00am and first attacked the Yashikira Police Divisional Headquarters where they allegedly carted away ammunition before proceeding to the emir’s palace amid sporadic gunfire.
Witnesses said terrified residents fled into nearby bushes as gunshots echoed across the community for several minutes.
Part of the palace was set ablaze during the invasion while some animals within the premises, including turkeys, were also killed. The emir, however, escaped unharmed.
The lawmaker representing the constituency in the Kwara State House of Assembly, Baba Saliu, who provided further details on the attack, said the gunmen operated in a coordinated manner and opened fire immediately they arrived at the palace.
“They first invaded the police station and carted away some ammunition before heading to the palace.
“They immediately opened fire when they got to the palace on the vehicles and other things. The emir escaped but they abducted his two wives, children and others around.
“Though we are still gathering figures, about 10 should be the number of the abductees. They set the palace ablaze and killed about two turkeys. But nobody was killed”, he said.
According to him, the monarch has temporarily been advised to leave the community for safety reasons pending the restoration of normalcy.
Chairman of Baruten Local Government Area, Issa Jubril, also confirmed the incident. “The monarch was able to escape during the incident,” he said.
Asked whether women and children from the palace were among those abducted, he responded: “Yes, but I will not be able to give you the exact figures and identities of the victims now.
“But our emir is safe and the town is calm now. We immediately put in a lot of efforts to alert the relevant security agencies and they are on top of the situation.”
The Kwara State Police Command equally confirmed the attack. The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, said the incident was carried out by suspected bandits who attacked in the early hours of Monday.
She disclosed that the Commissioner of Police, Ojo Adekimi, had ordered a full-scale intelligence-driven operation involving tactical police units, the military, forest guards and vigilante groups to rescue the abducted victims and apprehend the attackers.
According to her, security deployment has also been reinforced across vulnerable communities in the state, while surveillance and bush-combing operations are ongoing.
The latest assault has again drawn attention to growing insecurity in Kwara North, particularly in Baruten and Kaiama axis, where communities bordering the Benin Republic and neighbouring states have increasingly come under attacks from armed groups exploiting vast forests and difficult terrains.
In recent years, several communities in Kwara North have witnessed deadly attacks, kidnappings and violent incursions linked to armed bandits and terror gangs operating around the Kainji Lake National Park and border corridors.
One of the deadliest incidents occurred in Woro, a community in Kaiama Local Government Area, where scores of residents were reportedly killed during repeated attacks by armed groups.
Local sources and community leaders had claimed that over 150 people were killed in a series of coordinated invasions that forced many villagers to flee their homes.
Communities in Kaiama, Baruten and parts of Moro Local Government Area have repeatedly raised concerns over worsening security, accusing criminal gangs of using forest routes connecting Kwara, Niger State and the Benin Republic as operational hideouts.
There have also been recurring reports of kidnappings of farmers, travellers and traditional rulers across the axis, with residents lamenting inadequate security presence in remote settlements.
The latest Yashikira palace attack came barely 48 hours after another deadly assault in Ekiti Local Government Area of the state.
The Kwara State Police Command confirmed at the weekend that armed hoodlums attacked worshipers during a night vigil at Ori-Oke Ajaiye on the outskirts of Ikiran Village in Ekiti LGA, killing three persons and abducting 15 others.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, the attack occurred on Friday night while members of a church congregation were holding prayers at the remote prayer ground.
The police said the Commissioner of Police, Ojo Adekimi, immediately ordered a comprehensive tactical and intelligence-driven rescue operation involving the Police Drone Team, PMF personnel, intelligence units and other operational assets.
The back-to-back attacks in Ekiti and Baruten local government areas have intensified fears over the worsening security situation in Kwara North and adjoining communities, especially in remote settlements bordering forest corridors frequently exploited by armed groups.
The Kwara State government has in recent months intensified security collaborations with federal security agencies and local vigilante groups in a bid to contain rising attacks in vulnerable parts of the state, particularly in Kwara North.
The government had earlier reinforced support for joint security operations, forest surveillance and community-based intelligence gathering across border communities facing threats from armed bandits and kidnappers.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has repeatedly assured residents of the administration’s commitment to protecting lives and property.
Authorities have continued to coordinate with the military, police, vigilantes and forest guards to strengthen security presence in troubled areas.
Despite these efforts, residents in several remote communities have continued to express concerns over recurring attacks and the difficult terrain being exploited by criminal groups.
Security experts and stakeholders have warned that the growing activities of armed groups in Kwara North could further escalate if border surveillance and forest security operations are not significantly strengthened.
