IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu
By John Egie
Heavily armed men riding on motorcycles suspected to be bandits, yesterday, around 0200hours, stormed the border town of Yashikira in Baruten local government area of Kwara State firing sporadically into the air, targeted the palace of the Emir and abducted three wives and four children of the Emir, Alhaji Umar Seriki and others.
They also targeted the nearby police station but we’re repelled.
The suspected bandits overpowered the local security operatives stationed around the palace and forced their way into the residential quarters of the palace where members of the Emir’s houswhold were seized and abducted.
The sporadic gunshots caused chaos as people around the palace ran shelter skelter to safety and sustaining injuries as they escaped from the crime area.
Several vehicles belonging to the palace were set ablaze during the raid.
A statement issued by the Spokesperson of the Kwara State Police Command, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi confirmed the attack, stating that ten people were abducted during the coordinated attack.
The statement added that the attackers struck at about 200am, simultaneously targeting the Yashikira Police Divisional Headquarters and the Emir’s palace in ” a coordinated and desperate operation”.
“During that attack, part of the palace was set ablaze while ten people were abducted and taken to an unknown destination. However, attack on the police station was successfully repelled by police operatives on duty”.
The statement explained. The State Commissioner of Police, CP Ojo Adekimi has ordered a full-scale tactical operation involving the military, police,, forest guards, vigilante and other security stakeholders to rescue the victims and trackdown the attackers.
Credit: PUNCH
