Crime

Mahmuda Terror Group Launches Deadly Attack in Kwara: Resident Killed, Others Abducted

Published by Tope Fakinlede on July 15th, 2025.

Mahmuda Terror Group Launches Deadly Attack in Kwara: Resident Killed, Others Abducted

Bandits

Suspected members of the Mahmuda terrorist group have launched a brutal attack on Kemanji Village, located in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, leaving one resident dead and several others reportedly kidnapped.

Eyewitnesses from the community told SaharaReporters that the gunmen invaded the village in the early hours of the day, spreading panic and violence among residents. While the exact number of abductees remains uncertain, sources believe multiple individuals may have been taken during the raid.

This latest incident marks another chapter in the escalating wave of violence that has plagued communities in both Kwara North and South Senatorial Districts. Rural areas in Kaiama, Edu, Baruten, Ifelodun, Irepodun, and Ekiti local government areas have been particularly affected, with frequent killings, kidnappings, and ransom demands.

As of the time of reporting, attempts to get comments from Kwara State Police spokesperson, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, were unsuccessful. Calls and messages to her remained unanswered.

The Mahmuda sect has gained notoriety in recent months, with SaharaReporters previously revealing, in a June 30 exclusive, that the group is attempting to carve out a self-governed enclave within forest regions of Kwara. They are said to be imposing their own rules, collecting Zakat (Islamic tax), distributing land, and enforcing strict religious laws.

His Royal Highness, Ambassador (Dr.) Alhaji Umar Sariki Usman, Sabikpassi II, the Emir of Yashikira, raised the alarm during an interview, expressing grave concern over the group’s growing influence within the Kainji Lake National Park region—a dense forest belt that spans parts of Kwara, Niger, and Kebbi states.

According to the Emir, the Mahmuda faction has practically established its own rule within the forest zone. “Anyone living or venturing into their controlled territory must follow their laws. They assign land, collect Zakat, and impose their own governance,” he said.

Though their overt presence has reportedly diminished, the monarch cautioned that the threat remains. “They haven’t disappeared completely. From time to time, they resurface to carry out attacks or enforce their will, often targeting people they have previous dealings with or who owe them.”

In April, SaharaReporters also covered the emergence of the Mahmuda militants across parts of Kwara and Niger, where they have repeatedly attacked remote communities, leaving trails of destruction. The terror group reportedly maintains strongholds in and around the Kainji Lake National Park—an ungoverned area used by various criminal elements.

Communities like Kemaanji, Tenebo, Baabete, Nuku, and Nanu in Kaiama, along with villages under the Yashikira Emirate in Baruten LGA, have borne the brunt of these attacks. In Niger State, Babana and Wawa Districts in Borgu LGA are also severely affected.

One of their most devastating assaults occurred recently when militants ambushed a local vigilante group in Kemanji, killing over 15 people, including civilians.

“They call themselves the Mahmuda group. Their leader has issued voice threats to multiple communities. They abduct people, kill without hesitation, and demand large ransoms,” a local resident familiar with the situation revealed.

Security analysts warn that the unchecked spread of such groups across Nigeria’s ungoverned territories poses a significant risk to national security. Armed factions have taken advantage of these remote areas to establish power, often in collusion with local economic players.

“The continued neglect of areas like the Kainji Lake National Park has allowed militants and illegal operators—such as loggers, fishermen, and hunters—to thrive unchecked,” said one observer.

Initially, clashes broke out between these militants and forest users, but a truce was eventually reached, allowing loggers access to the forest in exchange for financial support to the insurgents. This arrangement has only deepened the group’s hold on the area, turning criminal enterprise into a funding source for terrorism.