New terror group ‘Mahmuda’ launches deadly attack on Kwara community

A newly emerged terrorist group known as Mahmuda has launched a fresh assault on Karonji/Duruma village in the Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State, Nigeria, leaving four people dead.

The attack occurred on Tuesday evening as the assailants stormed the community, firing indiscriminately and forcing residents to flee into nearby forests. This latest incident comes just hours after three villagers were reportedly killed in a separate attack earlier the same day, bringing the total death toll to seven.

“There is confusion in the community now, and sporadic shooting is still ongoing. About four people have been killed, making it seven in total today alone,” a local source told reporters.

The Mahmuda group has been linked to a string of violent raids across rural communities in North Central Nigeria, particularly near the Kainji Lake National Park (KLNP). In Kwara State, the affected areas include villages in Kaiama Local Government Area—such as Kemaanji, Tenebo, Baabete, Nuku, and Nanu—as well as parts of Yashikira District in Baruten LGA.

Reports also indicate that the group has extended its influence into Niger State, taking control of several communities in the Babana and Wawa Districts of the Borgu Local Government Area.

Kwara farmers decry persistent attacks by hoodlums

Efforts to obtain a response from the Kwara State Police Command were unsuccessful, as the command’s spokesperson, SP Toun Ejire-Adeyemi, did not respond to repeated calls.

Tensions have been escalating since April, when residents of several villages in Kaiama LGA began fleeing their homes en masse amid growing insecurity and the spread of Mahmuda’s influence. Locals have criticized both state and federal governments for failing to address the deteriorating security situation.

“Our community, Kemanji, is already under their control. They’ve not entered the main Kaiama town yet, but this is how it started in Sokoto and Kebbi,” a concerned resident said. “We’re only about 10 kilometres from Kaiama, and people are now abandoning their homes—both the rich and the poor alike.”

Community members claim the group had occupied nearby forest areas for years without incident. However, a military operation during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan reportedly triggered the current wave of violence.

“These terrorists had been living in that forest peacefully. But during Ramadan, the Army raided their camp and killed some of their members. Since then, they’ve started attacking us. The Army left afterward and has not returned,” another resident explained.

In an earlier audio message, the Mahmuda group threatened attacks on Duruma and other parts of the Borgu Kingdom, warning that they would kill anyone who tried to resist them.

The situation remains tense, with residents living in fear and seeking refuge in safer towns such as Kaiama and Ilorin.