Mahmuda terrorist faction allied with Shuaibu Gang Suspected: Security Expert
By Onibiyo Segun
(Osokosoko–Obajana Corridor, Kogi State) – “We were inside the bus when the attackers blocked the road. They ordered everyone down. Then they forced us into the forest – men, women, even children. We crossed rivers, wading through deep water in the dark until I found a chance to slip away and flee into the night,” Joseph Onoja, a 22-year-old student from Benue State who survived Thursday’s attack said.
According to Joseph, who spoke to TruthNigeria in a telephone interview, “I escaped and ran to a nearby house. I told them of my ordeal. Instead of helping me, they were discussing and one called the kidnappers that I am here with them. They spoke ‘okun’ language (a Yoruba dialect spoken in the western parts of Kogi state) unaware I understood the dialect. The man said on phone to the kidnappers, “come back and pick the boy hiding here. I quickly ran off, in a different direction towards the bush”. He concluded.
Terror Groups Expanding into Kogi – Mahmuda and Kachalla Shuaibu Link
Dr Bili Achili, a defense consultant based in Abuja interviewed by TruthNigeria said “the group responsible for recent attacks across Okun land is a Boko Haram splinter network, the Mahmuda terrorist faction and allied cells led by Kachalla Shuaibu, whose operational footprint now extends into western Kogi’s forest belt.”
The faction, once active mainly in Niger and Kwara, reportedly migrated into the Kabba–Bunu axis, blending ransom kidnappings with insurgent-style raids. Bili added “the speed, coordination, and disappearance pattern of the Osokosoko attackers match Mahmuda’s signature tactics.”
Retired military intelligence officer Col. Hassan Stan-Labo (Rtd.) told TruthNigeria that “these terrorists are evolving technologically and strategically.
“These terrorists are a step ahead of our security agents. They now use drones to monitor their victims and hit with precision. This is one area the security agents must not yield to the terrorists or else we are all doomed. Imagine if they can fly drones that carry bombs. We must be strategic. Get a different approach to be ahead of them.”
Security scholar Dr. David Idah, an analyst on extremist networks in North-Central Nigeria, told TruthNigeria that “the terrorists operate like forward cells of a larger insurgent structure.
“The pattern shows recon missions, surveillance support, and operational concealment. These are not random bandits. Kogi’s forests are becoming staging points for groups linked to Boko Haram splinters. The Mahmuda–Kachalla axis is now one of the most active in the region. And the security forces seem clueless, asides that they are stretched thin on different fronts. The commanders should seek cooperation from foreign countries and get better equipment. This is a different kind of war now. The terrorists are already ahead.”
Survivor’s Account from Another Attack
In another video obtained by TruthNigeria, a driver who survived a related ambush said “I walked through the bushes for hours, dodging terrorist camps and hiding behind rocks until I saw soldiers. My clothes were torn, I was dehydrated, but I am grateful to be alive. Our roads are no longer safe.”
For travelers along the Osokosoko–Obajana highway, Thursday, November 27 began like any other day on the inter-state route connecting the Kabba–Bunu communities of Okun land to the industrial Lokoja–Obajana corridor. The road, a narrow and winding stretch flanked by thick vegetation, dips through forested pockets, stone quarries, and rocky outcrops that hide movement even in daylight.
The highway also sits just 10–15 minutes from two military formations, the Obajana Forward Operating Base and the Zariagi checkpoint but long unmanned gaps between them leave large sections exposed. It was in one such gap that the militants struck.
The Attack: Bus Blocked, Passengers Seized
At about 2:30 p.m., heavily armed terrorists blocked the road, halted an 18-seater bus and other vehicles, and marched passengers into the bush at gunpoint. Vehicles were ransacked and the entire roadway shut down as drivers abandoned their cars and fled in panic.
Soldiers from the 12 Brigade Nigerian Army, supported by local vigilantes, hunters, and civil-defense operatives, launched a coordinated rescue operation that freed 21 abducted travelers, including men, women, and a nine-day-old infant.
Rescued victims include:
Moses Oladimeji, Adele Jacob, Obed Onche, Babayemi Ajayi, Funmilayo Ajayi, Samuel Olawoyin, Jemima Joseph, Enenche Paulina, Bright Enenche, Rachael Enenche, baby Deborah Enenche, Bukola Clement, Toyin Clement, Glory Clement, Faith Clement, Peter Olawale and two commercial drivers.
Casualties Among Security Personnel
During the firefight, one soldier attached to the Osokosoko security sector and a vigilante from Odoape community in Bunu County were killed. Their names have not yet been released.
A statement from Lt. Hassan Abdullahi, acting spokesperson for 12 Brigade, confirmed troops engaged the attackers and rescued the abductees. Search operations, he said, are still underway.
Earlier Attacks Show Expanding Pattern
Thursday’s incident is not isolated. Militants have repeatedly targeted the Okun region. In September 2025, a Fulani-ethnic militia raided a police checkpoint in Egbe, killing three policemen and three community guards, marking one of the region’s deadliest pre-dawn ambushes.
Similarly, TruthNigeria reported in April 2025 that jihadist elements linked to Boko Haram splinters launched attacks across Kwara and Kogi’s border forests, killing 22 citizens in coordinated night raids.
Communities Living Under Constant Fear
Across Okun land, routine life has changed. Traders now avoid early-morning travel. Churches report lower attendance. Families call repeatedly to check on loved ones on the road.
Mr. Emmanuel Adewale, a youth leader in Egbe, told TruthNigeria, “If nothing is done quickly, people will stop traveling home. Even Christmas may be silent this year. You cannot worship in peace. See what happened in Ejiba. Terrorists now use drones, that’s asides informants who are our own people. We need thorough cleansing”.
Experts recommend:
· Aerial-backed response teams
· Increased military presence on unmanned road segments
· Community guard units equipped with communication tools
· Identification and dismantling of Mahmuda-linked forest camps
· Foreign countries support – surveillance, training, equipment.
“If we treat these terrorists as mere bandits, we will lose the war,” Dr. Idah warned.
For now, travelers along the Osokosoko–Obajana corridor continue to pray each time they board a vehicle, hoping not to cross the next ambush point hidden in the trees.
Onibiyo Segun reports on terrorism and conflicts for TruthNigeria.
