*Police repel attack on station
By Olawale Lamina
Again, unknown gunmen have kidnapped another 10 people from the Yashikira Emir’s palace in Baruten LGA of the state.
This is coming barely two days after three muslim worshippers were killed and 15 others abducted at a prayer ground in Ekiti LGA of Kwara state,
In a statement, spokesperson of the Kwara police command, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi confirmed that the gunmen laid siege to the palace and the Yashikira police station same time, at about 2am on Monday.
According to the statement, “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 also informed that, in course of the attack, a part of the palace was set ablaze, while ten people were abducted and carted away to an unknown destination.
“However, the attack on the police station was successfully repelled by police operatives on duty,” Ejire-Adeyemi stated.
The command added that 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 comb surrounding forests and suspected criminal hideouts, in order to rescue those in captivity.
The Kwara state police commissioner handed a warning that the police force would not bow to threats, intimidation, or acts of terror by bandits and criminal elements operating within any part of the state.
He assured that the command remains fully prepared battle-ready anf determined to confront those he described as enemies of peace with every lawful operational means and strategy at its disposal.
“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 has further raised palpable fear and security concerns concerns in the south-west following recent attacks in parts of Oyo state.
Recall that on May 16, gunmen on motorcycles attacked communities 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 bandits, in the process, killed an assistant headmaster identified as Joel Adesiyan and a commercial motorcyclist, leading to nationwide condemnation.
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