Gunmen in the early hours of Monday attacked the palace of the Emir of Yashikira in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara state.
The gunmen also attacked the Yashikira police station at about 2am, the spokesman of the state police command, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, said in a statement.
He confirmed that 10 people were abducted from the palace.
“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.”
The state commissioner of police, Ojo Adekimi, has ordered a full-scale, intelligence-driven tactical operation involving the police, military, forest guards, vigilantes, and other security stakeholders to rescue those abducted unharmed.
The commissioner warned that the police would not bow to threats, intimidation, or acts of terror orchestrated by bandits and criminal elements operating within any part of the state.
“The command remains battle-ready and fully determined to confront these enemies of peace with every lawful operational asset and strategy at its disposal,” he said.
“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.”
The command assured residents of the state that security operations have been intensified across vulnerable areas.
It added that surveillance, intelligence gathering, and aggressive bush-combing operations are ongoing.
