A source within the Emir's palace in Yashikira, Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State, alleged that police officers fled their divisional headquarters during a bandit attack in the early hours of Sunday, May 24, 2022, leaving behind AK-47 rifles later seized by the attackers. The incident occurred during a coordinated assault on both the palace and the police station, according to the source, who spoke to SaharaReporters on Tuesday evening. The attackers set parts of the Emir's palace on fire and abducted 10 residents, the Kwara State Police Command confirmed in a statement signed by spokesperson SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi. The police claim officers repelled the attack on the station, describing it as "cowardly and audacious," and said Commissioner of Police CP Adekimi Ojo had ordered a full-scale tactical operation to rescue victims and apprehend the assailants. Security operations have since been intensified across Baruten, including bush-combing and intelligence gathering. However, the palace source disputed the official account, stating there was no resistance at the police station. "The police abandoned the police station; the bandits entered and took away all the AK-47s there," the source said. According to the source, the fleeing of officers left the community exposed and undermined claims of a repelled attack. The source insisted the attackers faced little or no resistance when they entered the station. SaharaReporters made multiple attempts to reach SP Ejire-Adeyemi for comment on the allegations but received no response via phone or text message.
The palace source's claim that police fled and left AK-47s behind contradicts the police statement that the attack was repelled. If officers abandoned their posts, the 10 abducted residents were left at the mercy of armed men with weapons meant to protect them. The lack of response from the police spokesperson raises questions about accountability in Yashikira. Residents now face both the threat of bandits and the failure of those sworn to defend them.
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