The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, has given Nigerian Army troops a one-month deadline to completely flush out a new terrorist group reportedly operating in Kaiama and Baruten local government areas of Kwara State. This decisive order aims to stop the spread of the group’s activities to other parts of the country.
The army chief gave this directive during his visit to Sobi Military Barracks in Ilorin, the state capital, where he met with troops preparing for deployment to the affected areas. According to Lt Gen. Oluyede, the emergence of the group — identified as *Mahmouda* — must be tackled head-on to prevent the situation from escalating into a larger national threat.
“I don’t want to see any footprints of those criminals within that Kainji Dam area in the next one month,” Oluyede said firmly. “If they want to flee into another country, that’s their business — but they must be pushed out of those forests. We cannot allow another form of Boko Haram to take root in this country again.”
Oluyede’s visit served a dual purpose: issuing strategic directives and boosting the morale of troops set to lead the operation. He assured the soldiers that the Nigerian Army would provide all necessary support to ensure their success.
“You’re out here because you’re capable,” he told the troops. “I know you can do it — you must make sure those people leave that area. You’re not alone in this. Nigeria is behind you.”
According to army sources, the troops will soon begin combing the forest areas in Kaiama and Baruten, believed to be the hideouts of the group. The Chief of Army Staff said the situation is still an isolated case and not a widespread threat to national security, but warned that quick action was necessary to keep it that way.
“What’s happening in Kwara cannot threaten Nigeria’s peace generally,” he told reporters after the briefing. “It’s an isolated case and we’ll deal with it directly and decisively.”
The emergence of the Mahmouda group in Kwara State has raised alarm among local communities, security agencies, and government officials. Though details remain sketchy, reports indicate that the group has been occupying remote forests near the Kainji Dam and could be attempting to establish a stronghold in the region.
Kaiama and Baruten are located in the northern part of Kwara State, which borders the Republic of Benin. The proximity to an international border has raised fears that the terrorists might be trying to create a cross-border route for arms trafficking, training camps, or safe havens — similar to tactics used in the past by Boko Haram and ISWAP (Islamic State West Africa Province).
While the state has largely been peaceful in recent years, this new development threatens to change that narrative, prompting swift military intervention to prevent a deterioration of security.
Lt Gen. Oluyede’s reference to Boko Haram is not accidental. Nigeria’s experience with the militant Islamist group, which began as a small sect in the early 2000s in Borno State, serves as a painful reminder of how delayed action can lead to national chaos.
What began as a local uprising transformed into one of Africa’s deadliest insurgencies, displacing millions and claiming tens of thousands of lives over more than a decade. The Nigerian Army and security agencies are keen to avoid a repeat of that scenario in Kwara or anywhere else in the country.
Oluyede highlighted that the Nigerian Army would not allow any group to create a base that could become a future threat. He stressed that the fight must be swift, precise, and without compromise.
As of now, there has been no formal designation of the Mahmouda group as a terrorist organization by the Federal Government. However, given the military’s response and the tone of the COAS’s remarks, the group is already being treated as a terrorist threat.
Local leaders in Kwara have welcomed the army’s swift action but are calling for a broader strategy that includes community engagement, intelligence gathering, and development initiatives to prevent radicalization.
With the one-month deadline now set, the next few weeks will be critical. The army is expected to launch targeted operations in the affected forests, backed by aerial surveillance and intelligence from local informants.
The situation will also test the effectiveness of Nigeria’s new counterterrorism approach — one that combines strong military presence with early intervention.
For residents of Kwara State and Nigerians as a whole, the hope is that this operation will prevent another insurgency from taking root and restore confidence in the country’s ability to protect its citizens from emerging security threats.
