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Monarch Decries Poor Military Response, Rising Terror Threats in Baruten and Surrounding Districts
The Emir of Yashikira in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State, His Royal Highness Amb. (Dr) Alhaji Umar Sariki Usman, Sabikpassi II, has raised serious concerns about the growing insecurity in his domain, accusing Nigerian military personnel of abandoning their duties during terrorist attacks.
In a recent interview, the Emir expressed deep frustration over the inability of security forces to confront armed groups that have continued to terrorize rural communities in the region. According to him, soldiers deployed to the area often flee when gunmen strike, leaving behind their motorcycles and weapons.
“They are young boys, fresh from training, not well-equipped or trained for serious combat. Each time the terrorists attack, they drop their motorcycles and run away. It’s painful to watch,” the monarch lamented.
He criticized the government’s failure to provide adequate security reinforcement despite repeated promises. “We were told more troops would be deployed, but up till now, nothing concrete has been done. The burden of security has shifted entirely to our local vigilante groups, who themselves are poorly equipped,” he added.
The worsening security situation in northern Kwara, particularly in the Yashikira district, has become a major concern. Communities are frequently targeted by heavily armed terrorists who engage in killings, kidnappings, and looting with impunity. The Emir warned that local vigilantes alone cannot withstand the level of violence unleashed by the militants.
A growing concern in the region is the emergence of a deadly terror group known as the Mahmuda group, which has established a stronghold around the expansive Kainji Lake National Park, a largely ungoverned area stretching across Kwara, Niger, and Kebbi States. The group has been blamed for a string of deadly attacks, including a recent ambush in Kemanji village that left over 15 vigilantes and civilians dead.
Sources familiar with the group’s activities reveal that they not only terrorize communities but also engage in organized kidnapping and extortion. The militants are said to issue threats via voice recordings and demand ransoms from their victims’ families.
In a troubling development, the group has reportedly formed a covert alliance with some timber merchants and other economic actors operating in the forest. Initially at odds, the militants and the loggers eventually struck a deal that allows uninterrupted logging in exchange for payments—effectively providing the militants with a new source of funding.
Experts warn that the unchecked occupation of ungoverned spaces by armed groups poses a serious threat to national security and rural livelihoods. “The growing influence of these militants is a direct consequence of the absence of state authority. These forests have become breeding grounds for lawlessness,” one local observer noted.
