Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Suspected terrorists launched a fierce attack on a military base in the Kemanji community of Kaiama Local Government Area, Kwara State, in the early hours of Monday, killing at least three soldiers and a member of the local vigilante group. The assailants, numbering in large force, stormed the security post at approximately 3 a.m., engaging troops in a two-hour gun battle that lasted until about 5 a.m., according to multiple eyewitness accounts. Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq confirmed the incident on Monday evening in a Facebook post, commending the fallen soldiers for their bravery and extending condolences to their families. “At about 3 a.m. today, we lost three gallant soldiers as they courageously beat back a terrorist attack on their position in Kemanji, Kaiama,” the governor wrote. “These brave men not only repelled the terrorists and prevented them from accessing the community, but they also ensured that no one was kidnapped as the terrorists had intended.”
The attack, which targeted a security formation comprising soldiers, forest guards, and local vigilantes, saw the terrorists initially overwhelm the troops and escape with significant military hardware. A former council chairman who spoke on condition of anonymity said the assailants carted away an army gun truck, approximately twelve motorcycles, and several weapons and ammunition. “They came into Kemanji around 3 a.m. and attacked the security post. They killed three soldiers and two vigilantes, while many others were injured,” he said, adding that the injured were evacuated to hospitals, with severe cases referred to Ilorin for advanced treatment. The village head of Kemanji, Alhaji Sanni Zikki, confirmed that the terrorists originated from the nearby Kainji National Park, a vast forest reserve straddling Kwara and Niger states, which has become a known hideout for criminal gangs. “The terrorists came from the Kainji National Park and attacked our security men. We lost three soldiers. Some others were injured,” Zikki said, adding that despite the intensity of the assault, the security operatives resisted effectively and ensured no civilian casualties.
There are conflicting reports regarding the exact number of security personnel killed, a common challenge in the immediate aftermath of such incidents due to the fog of battle and the military’s cautious approach to releasing official figures. While Governor AbdulRazaq and several major news outlets reported three soldiers killed, other sources cited four soldiers and one vigilante dead. A resident described a chaotic scene: “Our security agents, including the army and local vigilantes, engaged the attackers in an intense gun battle that lasted till about 5:00 am. They killed some of our soldiers, but we still cannot ascertain how disastrous the attack was until daybreak.” Another eyewitness, Muhammed Issa, told a local newspaper that the attackers launched an explosive device at the military camp, causing significant damage before advancing. A forest guard who fights alongside military operatives said, “They killed three soldiers and injured four others, three soldiers and a local vigilante.” Amid these discrepancies, the governor’s official confirmation serves as the most authoritative figure, though the true toll may only become clear after a full military assessment.
Residents of Kemanji reported that the attack was not entirely unexpected, as the community had received a threat letter days earlier warning of an impending assault. A resident told a broadcast station that the attackers executed a threat reportedly issued in a letter sent to the community, heightening tension among residents. Despite this forewarning, the security post was caught off guard in the early morning hours when some soldiers were asleep, according to local sources. “Kemanji is a border community, close to the border, so there are thick forests around the place. Few of the soldiers were asleep around 3 a.m. today when the terrorists invaded their camp and killed three of them before others launched a reprisal attack on the terrorists,” a source said. Crucially, the terrorists did not enter the civilian areas of the community, focusing their assault solely on the security formation. Mohammed Mohammed, a resident, confirmed that the attackers “did not kidnap or harm any residents. They only engaged the security personnel.”
The Monday morning attack is the latest in a troubling resurgence of violent incidents in Kaiama Local Government Area, a remote and largely agrarian region that has become increasingly vulnerable to banditry. Just ten days earlier, on April 10, suspected bandits killed five members of the National Forest Guard in Nuku village, also in Kaiama, and set security patrol vehicles ablaze. In February 2026, armed assailants attacked the communities of Woro and Nuku, where over 200 residents were reportedly killed and 176 others abducted, including women and children. Governor AbdulRazaq described that incident as a “pure massacre,” prompting President Bola Tinubu to order the deployment of additional troops under Operation Savannah Shield to reinforce security in the state. Despite these measures, residents say the remote location of affected communities, often far from security formations, continues to hamper rapid response efforts. A resident said, “It’s very pathetic and disheartening. The entire community is in serious panic, and many villagers have fled. No one can yet predict the number of victims involved.”
In the aftermath of the attack, aggrieved youths in the area called for a temporary suspension of political activities, describing the incident as a moment of collective grief. “All political postings are hereby suspended till further notice. This is a moment of national grief. Bandits have killed our soldiers in Kemanji. These men died protecting us. We mourn with their families, the Nigerian Armed Forces, and the people of Kemanji. May Almighty Allah grant them eternal rest. No politics. We stand with our troops,” the youth said in a statement. A prominent community member and former Students’ Union President, A.K. Musa, decried the worsening insecurity and urged leaders to take decisive action. “The true representation of leadership is to have leaders who can speak, stand, and fight against insecurity, and identify those connected to the criminals terrorising our community,” Musa said. As troops launched a pursuit operation into the surrounding forests, the people of Kemanji and the wider Kaiama region wait anxiously, knowing that this attack is not an isolated event but a symptom of a deepening security crisis that has yet to find a solution.
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