New Terror Group ‘Mahmuda’ Emerges in North-Central Nigeria, Seizes Control of Communities

A new terror group identified as Mahmuda has emerged in the North-Central region of Nigeria, with several persons feared killed and dozens of communities around the Kainji Lake National Park (KLNP) now reportedly under their control.

According to investigations by the Sunday Tribune, the group has been operating with impunity in forested areas spanning Kaiama and Baruten Local Government Areas of Kwara State and Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State. Affected communities include Kemaanji, Tenebo, Baabete, Nuku, and Nanu in Kwara; as well as Babana and Wawa Districts in Niger.

Witnesses said the group, believed to be a breakaway faction of Boko Haram, has over the past five years turned the KLNP into a stronghold, collecting taxes from locals, enforcing strict Islamic codes, and even regulating social behavior. “They kill, kidnap, and demand ransom unchallenged,” a source told the Sunday Tribune.

The militants are reportedly led by an individual known as Mallam Mahmuda, from whom the group takes its name. Audio recordings obtained by community members suggest the group claims allegiance to a moderate Sunni Islamist cause. The group reportedly speaks Hausa and has launched several attacks on local vigilantes, including a deadly ambush on Wednesday in Kemanji.

Initially displaced from Mokwa in Niger State by security forces during the administration of former governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu, the group reemerged in the forested fringes of Kaduna before settling in the KLNP region, witnesses say. The militants have allegedly established parallel governance structures in the region, levying zakat (Islamic tax) on herders and farmers, and even mediating civil disputes.

Locals also accuse the Mahmuda group of illegal mining and logging activities, using the park’s unguarded status for profit. Reports claim that some residents, including youths, have been co-opted as informants or sympathizers.

Despite the group’s growing influence and the audibly threatening messages from its leader, the Defence Headquarters on Friday dismissed the existence of Mahmuda as a terror faction. Major General Markus Kangye, Director of Defence Media Operations, insisted that the so-called group are mere criminals and vowed that troops would respond decisively.

“The Armed Forces of Nigeria remain alert and are ready to professionally confront any elements threatening national peace,” Kangye said, urging the public to cooperate with military efforts to end insecurity.

Meanwhile, the affected communities continue to live in fear, with many lamenting years of abandonment and the grip of militants on their lives.