Fresh investigations have revealed the identity of the terrorist commander responsible for the recent massacre in communities of Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, an attack that has sent shockwaves across Nigeria’s North-Central region.
The man at the centre of the violence is Abubakar Saidu, widely known by his alias Sadiku, a notorious jihadist leader believed to be masterminding a growing wave of terror spreading from the North-East into forested parts of Kwara and neighbouring states.
Security sources and counter-terrorism analysts say Sadiku is a long-time Boko Haram operative who rose through the ranks during the era of the group’s former leader, Abubakar Shekau. Having survived internal factional wars and sustained military pressure in the North-East, Sadiku reportedly relocated his operations westward, exploiting the vast and poorly governed forests stretching through Niger and Kwara states.
Originally associated with criminal banditry such as cattle rustling and kidnappings, Sadiku’s faction is said to have evolved into a more ideologically driven terrorist group. Analysts note that the shift marked a dangerous transition from profit-driven crime to extremist violence aimed at imposing control over rural communities.
The attack on Woro and nearby settlements followed a familiar pattern. Residents said the assailants arrived on motorcycles in the early evening, surrounded the villages and opened fire from multiple directions. Homes were razed, scores of villagers were killed, while several others were abducted during the hours-long assault.
Local leaders disclosed that the attackers had earlier sent messages claiming they wanted to preach, a tactic security experts describe as a deceptive strategy often used by jihadist groups before launching coordinated attacks.
The death toll from the massacre remains contested. While community leaders confirmed dozens of burials, humanitarian groups and security observers estimate that well over a hundred people may have been killed, making it one of the deadliest attacks in Kwara State’s history.
Experts warn that Sadiku’s growing influence signals a troubling expansion of terrorism into Nigeria’s North-Central zone, with the Kainji Lake National Park and surrounding forests increasingly serving as safe havens for armed groups.
In response to the killings, the Federal Government has ordered the deployment of additional military forces to Kwara State, vowing to dismantle terrorist camps and restore security to affected communities.
Credit: Punch Newspaper