Terrorism: North Central Nigeria Hosts New Terror Group, 15 Killed including Vigilantes

 Terrorism: North Central Nigeria Hosts New Terror Group, 15 Killed including Vigilantes

TEC News!

A new terror group known as Mahmuda has emerged in the North Central part of Nigeria, terrorising residents of rural communities with 15 lives lost on Wednesday including members of the local security outfit known as ‘Vigilantes’ in the area.

 

Sources informs that the group attacks communities around the Kainji Lake National Park (KLNP) located in Niger State , North Central part of Nigeria at will.

The national park, centered in the north central is spanning parts of Kwara State and Niger State.

Some affected communities are in Kaiama Local Government Area (Kemaanji, Tenebo, Baabete, Nuku, Nanu) and Barutein Local Government Area (villages in Yashikira District), both in Kwara.

The sources added that the group has also taken over communities in Babana and Wawa District in Borgu Local Government of Niger State.

Our Reporters learnt that the militants attacked a vigilante group on Wednesday in Kemanji, killing over 15 members and villagers.

“They called themselves Mahmuda group. Their leader in a voice note is threatening all the communities. They kill and kidnap victims and also demand ransom,” one of the sources said.

 

Another source added, “The surge of insecurity in Nigeria has been a source of concern to the citizenry because of its destructive factor to livelihood, and unfortunately, new militant groups continue to emerge and occupy the ungoverned spaces in the country.

“With the Kainji Lake National Park left unguarded, the loggers, fishermen, and hunter groups take the opportunity and start enjoying the common good of the citizens for their personal gain,” the source said.

“At the beginning there was a clash between the loggers and the militants as well as the vigilantes, but the loggers negotiated with the militants, and the loggers gained access to the forest to harvest trees without any hitches and this as well serves as the biggest opportunity for the militant to make money through the logging activities.

“Currently, the community of Kainji National Park (KLNP), which includes Kaiama LGA (Kemaanji, Tenebo, Baabete, Nuku, Nanu) and Barutein LGA (villages in Yashikira District that share a border with the park), all in Kwara State, part of Babana and Wawa District in Borgu LGA in Niger State, have been under siege for years, and the world does not know what is happening to the Borgawas (Borgu people).

“Sixth, the militants threaten the existence of herbalists that they assume are fortifying the community vigilante members to confront them. Unconfirmed reports also have it that the Mahmuda Group or Mallam Group is into illegal mining in the park environment.

“In their ploy to deceive the people with religion, they timely gather community members to preach about Islamic ethics as well as persuade community members to be disloyal to the Nigerian state and also instruct that any disputes within the community must be reported to them.

 

“The loss of trust in the security agent to address the insecurity challenges in the area makes the vigilante group work hand in hand with the Mahmuda Group to rescue kidnapped victims from the bandits. The group was able to force out all the bandits from the park area, and their collaborators within the communities were kidnapped to their place, and ransom was collected, or those judged to be more involved in the act of banditry were slaughtered.

“The assumption among the locals is that the militant group present in the National Park is known to the authority above, but by whom? Guess time will tell. To some, it’s simply because of the sophisticated weapons in their possession, which makes it practically difficult for them to be dislodged from the national asset.”

Activities of terrorist has not abated despite security votes and government interventions for years which makes the citizens doubt the sincerity of those handling power in the country from one administrations and the other.