BREAKING: New Terrorist Group, Mahmuda, Attacks Kwara Community—Four Killed In Fresh Assault

A terrorist group called Mahmuda has carried out an attack on Karonji/Duruma village in the Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State.

Sources told SaharaReporters that the insurgents invaded the community on Tuesday evening, firing sporadically as residents fled into the forest for safety.

At least four villagers have been killed in the latest attack.

This assault comes just hours after SaharaReporters reported the killing of three villagers by the same group on Tuesday morning.

“There is confusion in the community now, and sporadic shooting is currently going on. About four people have been killed, making seven people in total today alone,” a source in the community said.

SaharaReporters recently detailed how the new terror group had been wreaking havoc in rural communities across North Central Nigeria, particularly around the Kainji Lake National Park (KLNP).

The affected areas include communities in Kaiama Local Government Area—Kemaanji, Tenebo, Baabete, Nuku, and Nanu—as well as villages in the Yashikira District of Baruten Local Government Area, all in Kwara State.

Multiple sources also revealed that the group has taken control of communities in Babana and Wawa Districts in Borgu Local Government Area, Niger State.

Meanwhile, attempts to contact the state police command for comments were unsuccessful, as spokesperson SP Toun Ejire-Adeyemi did not respond to calls on her mobile phone.

In April, SaharaReporters reported that residents of several communities in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State were fleeing their homes in droves as the Mahmuda terrorist group tightened its grip on the region.

Community sources who spoke to SaharaReporters lamented the deteriorating security situation and accused the Nigerian and Kwara State governments of ignoring the growing insecurity in the area.

“As I am talking to you, our community, Kemanji, is under the control of these people. They have not entered the main Kaiama town, and that was how it started in Sokoto, Kebbi and other states. Our community is about 10 kilometres from Kaiama,” a source said.

He explained that the state of fear gripping the area had triggered a mass exodus, with both wealthy and underprivileged residents abandoning their homes.

“The problem now is that everyone is afraid. Both the rich and the poor have started abandoning their houses. They are moving to the main town of Kaiama, and some who have relatives in Ilorin are moving there, and other neighbouring towns,” he added.

According to residents, the terrorists had long occupied the dense forests around the area without incident. However, a military raid during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan reportedly provoked the group, leading to the current spate of attacks on surrounding communities.

“These terrorists have been inside that thick forest for years, and they did not attack anyone. They started this attack in Ramadan when the Nigerian Army attacked them and killed some of their members. This is why they started attacking us. And the Army has left us, and they have not come back since that time,” another resident said.

SaharaReporters previously reported that an audio message from the terror group threatened attacks on Duruma village and other parts of Borgu Kingdom, vowing to kill anyone who resisted them.