BREAKING: ‘Army have abandoned us’, Kwara residents cry out as new terror group raid communities

Residents of several communities in Kaiama Local Government Area, Kwara State have accused the leadership of the Nigerian Army of abandoning them to their fate following the emergence of a new terror group, Mahmuda.

The residents who have also started fleeing their homes said troops of the Nigerian military who were formerly deployed to the area have been withdrawing causing panic among members of the communities.

Sources who spoke on the incident said the Army’s sudden withdrawal from active operation in Kaiama has left the local vigilante operatives to defend the communities against terrorists’ attacks alone.

A resident said, “As I am talking to you, our community, Kemanji, is under the control of these people.

“They have not entered the main Kaiama town, and that was how it started in Sokoto, Kebbi and other states. Our community is about 10 kilometres from Kaiama,” the resident stated.

He also said that houses in the villages have been abandoned by both the poor and rich for fear of attacks by the new terror group.

According to the source, residents now leave the villages to either rent houses or live with relatives and associates in the main town in Kaiama.

Another source said members of the terror group have been dwelling inside the forest but were recently raided by the military during the month of Ramadan.

The raid by the military aggravated their anger leading to the growing attacks on the communities.

“These terrorists have been inside that thick forest for years, and they did not attack anyone.

“They started this attack in Ramadan when the Nigerian Army attacked them and killed some of their members.

“This is why they started attacking us. And the Army has left us, and they have not come back since that time,” he said.