Taiwo Popoola
Emir of Yashikira, Umoru Seriki, Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State, is distressed that concerned authorities have abandoned communities under attacks by a terror group named ‘Mahmuda’ allegedly occupying some parts of the Settlement in Kwara North Senatorial District and Niger State.
Reacting to the development in an interview with Urban Express News Online on Sunday, Ibrahim Gada said, “The situation is that we are demoralised, we are not happy with what the authorities are saying that there is no presence of terrorists in our domains.
“We are not happy and we feel abandoned by the government and left on our own, but as the situation is, we have no choice but to continue to defend ourselves.
“It is very unfortunate that we have complained about this thing earlier, and nobody seems to pay attention to our plight.”
The attacks, according to the traditional ruler, are not only in Baruten and Kaiama local governments of Kwara state, but also Borgu Kingdom in Niger State.
Seriki, while confirming last week’s attacks by the terrorists, disclosed that the security vehicle bought by the people for operations by the vigilantes was bombed by the terrorists.
“We are just lucky that our vigilantes survived the attacks, though some suffered some bruises.
“The casualties we suffered were not 15, but we suffered some casualties, and the terrorists also suffered some casualties.
“So that is the situation, what the social media is reporting is the truth, we are just praying to God to help and protect us in the current situation we are facing,” he added.
Urban Express News Online recalls that the Kwara State Police Command last week refuted alleged emergence of a terror group named ‘Mahmuda’ within Kaiama and Baruten Local Government Areas of the state.
The command also categorically dismissed the claim that 15 vigilantes have been killed by the terror group, describing it as false and devoid of any factual basis.
A statement by the spokesperson of the command, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, in Ilorin on Saturday, said comprehensive and continuous threat assessments, intelligence surveillance, and tactical reconnaissance operations in the said areas have yielded no evidence of insurgent activity, coordinated terrorist formations, or mass casualty incidents as described.
“The claim of 15 vigilantes being killed is entirely false and devoid of any factual basis,” he said.
The police command assured the public that all security formations within Kwara State remain proactive and are strategically deployed under a multi-agency operational framework involving the Nigeria Police Force in collaboration with other sister security agencies.
The command asserted that no breach of internal security has been reported or observed in the aforementioned communities, adding that “our community engagement structures, including Vigilante Commanders and District Heads, have not relayed any such incidents”, which confirms some published reports to be misleading and inciting.
“While we recognise the volatile nature of cross-border movements around the Kainji Lake National Park, the Kwara state police command has maintained effective situational control across all border communities.
“We urge members of the public and media outlets to refrain from spreading unverified information capable of generating unnecessary panic.
“The Kwara Police Command under the leadership of CP Adekimi Ojo, remains committed to safeguarding lives and property and encourages citizens to report any suspicious activity through official channels for prompt response,” the statement added.
