JUST IN: Gunmen abduct 10 from emir’s palace in Kwara

Barely 48 hours after three worshippers were killedand 15 others abducted at a prayer ground in Ekiti LGA of Kwara state, gunmen have kidnapped another 10 people from the Yashikira Emir’s palace in Baruten LGA of the state.

In a statement, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, spokesperson of the Kwara police command, said the gunmen attacked the palace and the Yashikira police station simultaneously around 2am on Monday.

“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 command said Ojo Adekimi, commissioner of police, has ordered a full-scale, intelligence-driven tactical operation involving the police, military, forest guards, vigilantes, and other security stakeholders to comb surrounding forests and suspected criminal hideouts with the aim of rescuing the victims unhurt.

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 Yashikira, Baruten LGA, and the entire state that security operations have been intensified across vulnerable areas.

It added that surveillance, intelligence gathering, and aggressive bush-combing operations are ongoing.

The incident comes amid rising security concerns in the south-west following recent attacks in parts of Oyo state.

On May 16, gunmen riding motorcycles invadedcommunities within the Ahoro-Esiele/Yawota axis of Oriire, Ogbomoso, abducting students and staff members of Community High School, Ahoro-Esiele; L.A. Primary School, Esiele; and Yawota Baptist Nursery and Primary School.

The attackers killed an assistant headmaster identified as Joel Adesiyan and a commercial motorcyclist, sparking outrage across the country.