By Abu Adamu
A wave of anger over worsening insecurity erupted in parts of Kaduna State on Monday as residents of Birnin Gwari Local Government Area reportedly mobilised and forced suspected Fulani herders and individuals accused of collaborating with bandit groups to leave sections of the community, even as security forces intensified pressure on terrorists holding abducted schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State.
Local sources said the unrest followed renewed attacks and abductions in the area, including the killing of a commercial driver identified as Ibrahim Adamu, alongside the abduction of other residents by armed groups operating along rural routes in the area. The incident triggered outrage among youths who accused some residents of maintaining links with criminal gangs responsible for repeated raids on surrounding communities.
In the ensuing tension, groups of angry residents took to the streets, reportedly chasing away Fulani herders and other suspected collaborators from parts of Birnin Gwari, raising concerns over escalating communal suspicion and the risk of retaliatory violence in an already fragile security environment.
The Kaduna development came alongside significant progress in ongoing rescue operations in Oyo State, where security sources confirmed that terrorists holding 39 schoolchildren and seven teachers abducted from communities in Oriire Local Government Area have begun scaling down some of their earlier demands as military pressure intensifies around their forest hideout.
The victims were abducted on 15 May 2026, during coordinated attacks on schools in Ahoro-Esinle, Yawota and Alawusa communities, where a total of 46 persons were taken.
According to security sources familiar with the operation, troops and other security operatives have now effectively surrounded a hideout within the National Park forest corridor, restricting the movement of the terrorists and cutting off key escape routes.
The kidnappers were initially said to have issued four major demands, including the release of detained terrorist commanders, payment of ransom, provision of two Hilux vehicles, and the implementation of certain ideological and governance-related conditions.
Among those reportedly demanded for release are Mahmud Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a or Abbas Mukhtar, and his deputy Abubakar Abba, alias Isah Adam or Mahmud Al-Nigeri—both identified as senior figures of the Ansaru faction and previously arrested by security operatives.
However, intelligence sources said sustained pressure from troops has forced the kidnappers to abandon several of their initial demands, with attention now largely focused on securing ransom payments as their operational space continues to shrink.
Security officials further disclosed that the gang is being tightly contained within the forest, with coordinated surveillance and blocking positions preventing movement in and out of the area.
Investigations also suggest that the leader of the kidnapping network is an indigene of Oriire Local Government Area who allegedly became radicalised and later aligned with the Ansaru network after previously living within the community.
The affected communities lie along strategic corridors bordering routes towards the Niger Republic and the Kainji axis, areas characterised by difficult terrain and limited communications infrastructure, which have long been exploited by armed groups.
Security sources added that intelligence prior to the attacks had indicated possible threats against schools in the region, prompting preventive measures, including temporary closure of some institutions.
As operations intensified, reports emerged that the kidnappers had killed one of the abducted teachers, allegedly in a bid to pressure authorities to halt the ongoing military offensive, though security forces have continued the operation undeterred.
Officials noted that sustained nationwide offensives against terrorist groups have significantly weakened Ansaru, Boko Haram, and ISWAP networks, forcing many fighters out of their traditional strongholds into more isolated and vulnerable locations.
According to security estimates, hundreds of high-value commanders have been neutralised or arrested in recent months, while others have reportedly fled across borders into neighbouring countries as military pressure increases.
A senior security official expressed confidence that ongoing operations would ultimately secure the release of the captives and further degrade terrorist capabilities nationwide, insisting that “the signs of victory are already becoming evident” despite continued isolated attacks.