The Emir of Yashikira, Umoru Seriki of Baruten Local Government Area in Kwara State, has voiced deep concern over the growing presence of a new terrorist group known as ‘Mahmuda,’ which he claims is now occupying parts of Kwara North Senatorial District and neighbouring Niger State.
In an exclusive interview with Daily Post on Sunday, the monarch expressed frustration at what he described as the government’s inaction and denial of the group’s activities.
“The situation is that we are totally demoralized, we are not happy with what the authorities are saying that there is no presence of terrorists in our domains,” the Emir said.
“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 than to continue to defend ourselves.”
According to Seriki, the affected areas include Baruten and Kaiama Local Government Areas in Kwara, as well as the Borgu Kingdom in Niger State. He disclosed that the terrorists recently launched attacks in the region, including an incident in which a security vehicle, procured by residents for vigilante operations, was bombed.
“We are just lucky that our vigilantes survived the attacks though some suffered some bruises.
The casualties we suffered were not actually 15, but we suffered some casualties and the terrorists also suffered some casualties.
So that is the situation, what the social media is actually reporting is the truth, we are just praying to God to help and protect us in the current situation we are facing,” he added.
However, the Kwara State Police Command has dismissed these claims. In a statement issued on Saturday, spokesperson SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi denied any credible evidence supporting the existence of the terror group ‘Mahmuda’ or reports of mass casualties.
“The claim of 15 vigilantes being killed is entirely false and devoid of any factual basis,” the statement read.
Ejire-Adeyemi noted that continuous threat assessments, intelligence surveillance, and tactical reconnaissance operations have not revealed any insurgent activity in the concerned areas. The police emphasized that community engagement structures, including vigilante leaders and district heads, have not reported such incidents.
The command stated it remains proactive and committed to internal security, working alongside other agencies under a multi-agency operational framework.
“While we recognize 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 concluded.
