Terrorists launched a coordinated attack on the Yashikira community in Kwara State in the early hours of Monday, attacking a police station, setting the Emir of Yashikira’s palace ablaze, and kidnapping 10 people including members of the emir’s family.
The attack began around 12:40 a.m. on Monday in the Kiama council area, just hours after another bandit attack in Ekiti LGA where three worshippers were killed and 15 abducted at a prayer ground.
Residents told the Peoples Gazette that gunfire echoed for hours during the assault. “It was a terrible attack. I stayed very close to the palace and heard gunshots echo for several hours. As it is now, over ten people close to the emir were taken to an unknown location,” a resident said.
Police spokesperson Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi confirmed in a statement that the attackers, in a coordinated assault at about 2:00 a.m., simultaneously targeted the Yashikira Police Divisional Headquarters and the Emir’s Palace. She said part of the palace was set ablaze and 10 people were kidnapped. Security forces have launched a rescue operation, and more reinforcements have been deployed to the area.
The attack follows a pattern of rising insecurity in Kwara State, with bandits increasingly targeting rural communities and traditional institutions.
Sources: Premium Times, Peoples Gazette
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