CLARIFICATION: No New Terrorist Group in Kwara, Mahmouda is a Boko Haram Commander Collaborating with Bandits

By: Zagazola Makama

Contrary to recent reports circulating on social and traditional media suggesting the emergence of a new terrorist organization in Kwara State, security sources have clarified that no new group has been formed. The figure at the center of these reports, Mahmouda, is not a name of a new terrorist group, but rather a known Boko Haram commander.

Mahmouda is a veteran Boko Haram fighter who initially operated in Borno State before relocating to Kaduna, where he briefly collaborated with the notorious terror kingpin, Sadiku. He later moved into the Shiroro and Rafi axis of Niger State, where he aligned with the remnants of Darul Salam, recruiting dozens of youths and enforcing extremist laws particularly on Fulani herdsmen.

Security intelligence confirms that Mahmouda has since moved some of his fighters further southwest into the forests bordering Kwara State, where he has established ties with local bandit groups. These elements are not a new organization but are extensions of Boko Haram collaborating with bandits already operating in the North West.

This clarification comes in the wake of past denials from security agencies. When intelligence analyst Zagazola Makama previously raised the alarm about the movement of terrorists toward Kwara, the Police issued a rebuttal, describing the report as fear-mongering.

However, with recent attacks and the presence of insurgent elements now being confirmed in parts of Kwara, observers are questioning the responsiveness and preparedness of authorities.

“What will the Police say now that the very thing they denied has begun to happen?” a senior security source queried.

Authorities are now being urged to act swiftly and decisively to prevent Mahmouda and his collaborators from entrenching themselves in the North Central corridor. Analysts warn that failing to address this threat early could result in Kwara becoming another flashpoint in Nigeria’s protracted insurgency.

Security agencies have been advised to increase intelligence operations, deploy special forces, and establish a proactive counter-insurgency presence in border forests between Niger and Kwara states to neutralize the threat before it escalates.

CLARIFICATION: No New Terrorist Group in Kwara, Mahmouda is a Boko Haram Commander Collaborating with Bandits

JNIM Claims Deadly Attack on Benin Military Bases, Says 70 Soldiers Killed

By: Zagazola Makama

Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM), a terrorist group operating in the Sahel, has claimed responsibility for coordinated attacks on two military positions in northern Benin Republic on Thursday, April 17, 2025.

In a statement released through its propaganda channels, the group said it killed 70 Beninese soldiers during the assaults. The attacks reportedly targeted military companies stationed near the country’s northern borders with Burkina Faso and Niger – regions increasingly plagued by jihadist violence.

JNIM also published images of weapons and equipment it said were captured during the attacks. Among the items allegedly seized were:
American-made M2HB heavy machine guns, Five PP87 mortars of Chinese origin, Fifty-one rocket-assisted mortar shells, Three surveillance drones, Six motorcycles, Sixty-four grenades, Seventy-eight Kalashnikov rifles, Over 300 ammunition magazines, Type 80 and W-85 machine guns, Type 81-1 rifles Type 56-1 rocket launchers, and T69-1 anti-tank projectiles.

The Beninese government has yet to issue an official statement confirming the claims. However, security sources have confirmed that military operations are ongoing in the northern region, and reinforcements have been deployed to contain the situation.

JNIM, which is affiliated with al-Qaeda, has expanded its activities into coastal West African states in recent years, marking a shift in its operational footprint beyond Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso.

JNIM Claims Deadly Attack on Benin Military Bases, Says 70 Soldiers Killed

Two Suspects Arrested for Human Trafficking, Victims Rescued in Kubwa, Abuja

By: Zagazola Makama

Two men have been arrested in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for their involvement in human trafficking after police operatives foiled their attempt to transport three women to Senegal.

Sources told Zagazola Makama that on April 17, 2025, at around 1730hrs, operatives from the Kubwa Division, apprehended 28-year-old Thankgod Ike and 26-year-old Dennis Ike. The two suspects, both residents of Gbazango by the Assembly of God Church, were arrested following actionable intelligence.

The suspects were allegedly involved in the trafficking of three women Helen Simon (25), Blessing Iliya (25), and Anabel Iliya (22) whom they had deceived with promises of securing illicit jobs abroad. The victims were intended to be trafficked through Lagos and Guinea before ultimately being taken to Senegal.

The suspects were apprehended while executing their plan to transport the women, who have since been rescued and are currently in police custody.

Preliminary investigations indicate that the suspects have been involved in similar activities in the past, including the trafficking of another woman, known as “Baby” (25), to Senegal in 2024.

Additionally, the suspects are believed to be connected to the trafficking of Alisa Conte, a Sierra Leonean national, whose case is currently under investigation by INTERPOL.

Police sources said efforts are ongoing to identify and contact the victims’ families, and further investigations are underway.