Suspected JNIM operatives strike Kwara village as Bello Turji consolidates routes to Niger

By: Zagazola Makama

The recent attack on Dutsen Kogo community in Kaiama Local Government Area, Kwara State, draw attention to a worrying escalation of violent activity linked to Turji-led criminal networks and suspected JNIM operatives in the North-West and North-Central corridors.

On Jan. 27, armed assailants reportedly stormed Dutsen Kogo, firing sporadically into the air, forcing residents, shop owners, and other business operators to flee in panic.

Upon the attackers’ departure, the bodies of two men, including 33-year-old Fulani resident Abubakar Mohammed, were discovered, while sources indicated the perpetrators withdrew towards the vicinity of Kainji National Park. The incident mirrors a rising pattern of raids targeting isolated communities in the region.

The attacks follow an ambush in which Lantai Officer was reportedly targeted by the Turji faction. On Jan. 28, Bello Turji, the group’s notorious leader, released an audio clip claiming that Lantai remains alive but in his custody, citing ongoing “investigations” into allegations against him.

Zagazola caution that the ambiguous nature of Lantai’s reported capture could fuel further reprisals by rival criminal gangs or trigger renewed operational campaigns by Turji’s network.

Zagazola note that Turji’s group appears to be consolidating routes linking Zamfara and Katsina States into the Republic of Niger, raising concerns over cross-border insurgent movements and potential collaboration with foreign elements. The series of raids on isolated villages and strategic withdrawal to Kainji National Park signal the group’s operational sophistication and capacity to evade immediate security responses.

He emphasize the need for coordinated intelligence-driven operations within Kwara and Niger State borders, with synergy extended to neighboring countries such as the Republic of Benin, to preempt further attacks and secure communities vulnerable to violent incursions.

The Dutsen Kogo attack spotlighted the persistent insecurity in parts of Kwara State and surrounding areas, pointing to the urgent requirement for enhanced regional collaboration and rapid response mechanisms to curtail the influence of criminal and insurgent networks.