Kwara monarch signs full-page newspaper advert praising Tinubu, AbdulRazaq over APC primaries as wives, children languish in bandits’ den

Outrage has erupted in Kwara State after the Emir of Yashikira, whose wives and children were recently abducted in a violent palace raid, appeared in a full-page newspaper advertisement praising political leaders over an internal party primary election.

A controversial full-page newspaper advertisement has ignited widespread public anger across Kwara State after the Emir of Yashikira, Alhaji Umaru Usman Seriki Saabi Kpassi II, publicly congratulated political leaders just days after a devastating terrorist raid on his palace. The monarch, along with other first-class traditional rulers from the Baruten Local Government Area, used the high-profile print spread to praise President Bola Tinubu and Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for a “peaceful and successful” All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary election. The public congratulatory message was triggered by the ruling party’s decision to zone its governorship ticket to Baruten LGA, but the political celebration has deeply alienated local communities currently mourning a catastrophic wave of regional insecurity.

The public relations campaign has drawn fierce criticism from residents who view the endorsement as highly insensitive, given that the Emir’s own immediate family remains trapped in captivity. Just days prior, a heavily armed syndicate launched a synchronized midnight assault on the Yashikira community, simultaneously attacking the local police divisional headquarters and breaching the inner quarters of the royal palace. The bandits set sections of the historic compound ablaze, incinerated several vehicles, and abducted ten people, including the Emir’s wives and children, before retreating into the expansive forest reserves along the border corridor.

Frustrated community members and civil society groups have openly accused the traditional institution of prioritizing partisan political patronage and government alignment over the safety and dignity of their traumatized subjects. Local commentators argue that the monarchs should be leading aggressive pressure campaigns for federal security interventions and tactical rescue missions rather than bankrolling media spots for electoral processes. Expressing the deep sense of betrayal rippling through the local government area, a disgruntled resident remarked, “We know the government most likely sponsored the advert, but the traditional rulers should have advised against it at a time like this,” as security agencies continue their specialized bush-combing operations to trace the missing victims.

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