Gunmen have reportedly abducted 10 persons following a coordinated overnight attack on the Yashikira Emir’s palace in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State, just days after a separate deadly kidnapping incident in the state.

According to the Kwara State Police Command, the attackers struck around 2 a.m. on Monday, simultaneously targeting the Yashikira Police Divisional Headquarters and the Emir’s palace.

The police spokesperson, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, said the assailants set part of the palace on fire during the operation, while abducting 10 victims and whisking them away to an unknown location.

“The Kwara State Police Command condemns in the strongest possible terms the cowardly and audacious attack carried out by suspected bandits in the early hours of today 25/5/26, in Yashikira, Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State”.

“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. 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”.

“Following the incident, the Commissioner of Police, Kwara State Command, CP Ojo Adekimi, psc, mnips, immediately ordered a full-scale, intelligence-driven tactical operation involving the Police, Military, Forest Guards, Vigilantes, and other security stakeholders to comb the surrounding forests and criminal hideouts with the sole objective of rescuing the victims unhurt and bringing the perpetrators to justice”.