A new terror group, Mahmuda, has emerged in North-Central Nigeria, wreaking havoc across rural communities around Kainji Lake National Park, spanning Kwara and Niger States. The group, which killed over 15 vigilantes and villagers in a Wednesday attack in Kemanji, Kaiama Local Government Area, has seized control of multiple communities, including those in Kaiama (Kemaanji, Tenebo, Baabete, Nuku, Nanu), Barutein (villages in Yashikira District), and Borgu (Babana and Wawa Districts) Local Government Areas.
Sources report that Mahmuda, a suspected breakaway sect of Boko Haram, operates unchecked in the 3,970.29 sq. km unguarded national park, exploiting its resources through illegal logging, mining, and extortion. The group’s leader, in a chilling voice note, threatens further violence against communities, demanding ransoms for kidnapped victims and imposing strict control over local activities. Speaking primarily Hausa, Mahmuda claims to be a moderate Islamist group, promoting Sunni jihadist ideologies while recruiting locals as informants.
The militants’ reign began over five years ago when they displaced park rangers and settled in the park after being evicted from Mokwa and Kaiama by security forces. Allegedly originating from Benin or Niger Republic, they resurfaced in the park after a stint in Kaduna State’s forests, now wielding sophisticated weapons that locals believe make them nearly impossible to dislodge. Their activities include levying herders and farmers, forcing residents to work on their farms, and banning alcohol, smoking, and traditional herbal practices. They also mount illegal roadblocks, settle community disputes, and preach Islamic ethics to manipulate residents into disloyalty toward the Nigerian state.
Mahmuda’s economic grip extends to colluding with loggers, who pay for access to harvest trees, and allegedly engaging in illegal mining. Farmers pay levies for allocated farmland, while herders pay “zakah” to graze cattle. Kidnappings are rampant, with ransoms demanded and unconfirmed reports of executions for those deemed complicit in banditry. The group has also targeted herbalists, accusing them of aiding vigilantes, and forced out rival bandits, consolidating their control.
The region’s insecurity, exacerbated by ungoverned spaces, has left communities like those in Kaiama and Borgu under siege for years, with little global attention. Vigilantes, outgunned and desperate, have resorted to collaborating with Mahmuda to secure kidnapped victims, further eroding trust in state security forces. Locals speculate that authorities may be aware of the group’s presence but are unable to act due to their advanced weaponry.
The rise of Mahmuda shows Nigeria’s growing security crisis, as new militant groups exploit neglected territories, threatening livelihoods and stability. With the national park now a militant stronghold, residents live at the mercy of a non-state actor, raising urgent questions about the government’s ability to reclaim control and protect its citizens.