Exclusive Investigation | TheDailyCourierNG Special Report
Traditional ruler reveals devastating truth about Nigerian soldiers’ response to terrorist attacks
In a damning revelation that exposes the catastrophic failure of Nigeria’s military response to terrorism, the Emir of Yashikira has accused soldiers deployed to protect his community of abandoning their equipment and fleeing whenever terrorists launch attacks.
His Royal Highness, Ambassador Dr. Alhaji Umar Sariki Usman, Sabikpassi II, delivered this explosive testimony during an exclusive interview that lays bare the shocking reality of military operations in Kwara State’s terrorist-plagued communities.
“They always drop their motorcycles and run away whenever the terrorists launch an attack,” the traditional ruler declared, painting a devastating picture of military incompetence that has left rural communities defenseless against the notorious Mahmuda terror group.
The Emir’s revelation represents more than just criticism – it’s an indictment of a military system that appears to be failing at its most fundamental duty: protecting Nigerian citizens from armed groups that kill, kidnap, and terrorize with complete impunity.
Speaking with obvious frustration about the inability of Nigerian military forces to confront terrorists who have repeatedly invaded his domain, the Emir described a security apparatus that exists more on paper than in practice. Despite government promises of reinforcement, he revealed that no substantial military support has materialized, leaving communities to rely on poorly equipped local vigilantes for protection.
“We are yet to see the deployment of more security forces as promised by the government. They have visited the areas and they have gone back to their own camps. We are now relying on our local vigilante,” the traditional ruler explained, highlighting the gap between government rhetoric and ground reality.
The Emir’s most devastating accusations targeted the quality and preparedness of soldiers stationed in the area. According to his account, these military personnel are inexperienced recruits who lack both proper equipment and the courage needed to engage armed terrorists in combat.
“If you see them, you will see that they are young boys that are just from the training. They cannot go into any serious fighting. That is the reason they always drop their motorcycles and run away whenever the terrorists launch an attack,” he stated, exposing what appears to be a fundamental mismatch between the severity of the terrorist threat and the military response deployed to counter it.
This shocking testimony comes against the backdrop of escalating insecurity in northern Kwara, where the Mahmuda terror group has established a reign of terror across rural communities. Operating from the vast, ungoverned terrain around Kainji Lake National Park, this group has turned entire districts into no-go zones where they kill, abduct, and loot with devastating effectiveness.
The terror group’s operations span across Kwara, Niger, and parts of Kebbi State, with affected communities in Kwara including Kemaanji, Tenebo, Baabete, Nuku, and Nanu in Kaiama Local Government Area, along with several villages within the Yashikira district. In Niger State, the militants have overtaken Babana and Wawa Districts in Borgu Local Government Area.
The scale of their violence is staggering. In one of their deadliest recent operations, Mahmuda militants attacked a local vigilante unit in Kemanji, killing over 15 members and villagers – a massacre that demonstrates both their capabilities and the inadequacy of current security responses.
“They call themselves Mahmuda group. Their leader in a voice note is threatening all the communities. They kill and kidnap victims and also demand ransom,” sources familiar with the group’s activities revealed, painting a picture of organized terrorism that operates with the confidence of a group facing no meaningful opposition.
The Emir’s testimony reveals a particularly disturbing aspect of this security failure: the apparent replacement of professional military response with community vigilante groups who lack training, equipment, and support. “My vigilante from the district, they are everywhere securing the community. Of course, if the terrorists launch a fresh attack now, we cannot rely on ourselves,” he admitted, acknowledging the inadequacy of this arrangement while highlighting the absence of viable alternatives.
This situation represents a complete breakdown of the social contract between government and citizens. Communities pay taxes and expect protection in return, but instead find themselves abandoned to face heavily armed terrorists with nothing but local volunteers and courage.
The broader implications of this military failure extend far beyond individual communities. The Emir’s revelations suggest systemic problems within Nigeria’s security apparatus that go beyond equipment shortages to include fundamental issues of training, morale, and command effectiveness.
When soldiers consistently abandon their posts and equipment in the face of enemy contact, it indicates problems that cannot be solved simply by providing more motorcycles or weapons. It suggests deeper issues related to military culture, leadership, and the preparation of personnel for actual combat situations.
The economic dimensions of this security collapse are equally troubling. Sources revealed how the absence of effective government control has created opportunities for various actors to exploit natural resources while collaborating with terrorists. Timber merchants have reportedly negotiated deals with militants, gaining access to forest resources while providing the terror groups with revenue streams.
“At the beginning, there was a clash between the loggers and the militants as well as the vigilantes, but the loggers negotiated with the militants, and the loggers gained access to the forest to harvest trees without any hitches and this as well serves as the biggest opportunity for the militants to make money through the logging activities,” sources explained.
This revelation exposes how the failure of military control creates economic incentives that actually strengthen terrorist groups. When the state cannot maintain authority over natural resources, criminal organizations step in to fill the vacuum, creating revenue streams that fund further violence.
The Emir’s candid assessment of military performance raises fundamental questions about Nigeria’s counter-terrorism strategy. If soldiers are indeed “young boys that are just from training” who “cannot go into any serious fighting,” then the problem extends beyond individual cowardice to systemic failures in military preparation and deployment decisions.
The repeated pattern of soldiers abandoning equipment and fleeing suggests either inadequate training for combat situations, poor leadership, insufficient equipment, low morale, or some combination of these factors. Regardless of the specific causes, the result is the same: communities under attack receive no protection from the military forces supposedly deployed to defend them.
For the Emir and other traditional rulers in affected areas, this situation creates an impossible position. They bear responsibility for their communities’ welfare but lack the tools and authority to provide effective protection. They must rely on government promises that remain unfulfilled while watching their people suffer under terrorist attacks.
The testimony also highlights the particular vulnerability of rural communities in Nigeria’s security landscape. Urban areas may receive more attention and resources, but rural communities like those in northern Kwara find themselves essentially abandoned to face sophisticated terrorist threats with minimal support.
This exclusive revelation by the Emir of Yashikira represents more than just criticism of local military performance – it’s a window into broader failures of Nigeria’s security architecture. When traditional rulers feel compelled to publicly expose military inadequacy, it indicates a level of desperation and frustration that suggests the current approach is not just failing but may be fundamentally flawed.
The courage required for the Emir to make these public statements should not be underestimated. Traditional rulers typically avoid direct criticism of security forces, making his willingness to speak out a measure of how desperate the situation has become.
As the Mahmuda terror group continues to expand its operations and influence across northern Nigeria, the Emir’s revelations serve as a stark warning about the consequences of ineffective military response. Communities cannot defend themselves against well-armed terrorist organizations with local vigilantes alone, regardless of their courage and dedication.
The challenge now is whether Nigeria’s military leadership will acknowledge these failures and implement the fundamental changes needed to provide effective protection for rural communities, or whether more traditional rulers will be forced to make similar devastating public admissions about the state’s inability to fulfill its most basic obligation to its citizens.
CONTINUING COVERAGE: TheDailyCourierNG will continue investigating security failures across northern Nigeria and their impact on rural communities.
What are your thoughts on the Emir’s explosive revelations? How should Nigeria address these military failures?