By ZAGAZOLA MAKAMA

There is a wave of cautious celebration in some border communities of Kwara and Niger States following speculations surrounding the sudden disappearance ? and possible capture ? of Abubakar Abba Mahmuda, the feared leader of the Mahmuda terror group.

Zagazola Makama report that though no official statement has been released, residents in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara and parts of Borgu in Niger are gripped by growing belief that the Department of State Services (DSS) may have captured the notorious terrorist commander in a covert operation over the weekend.

The Mahmuda group, a violent breakaway faction of Boko Haram, has for over five years launched repeated attacks on farming communities in the Kainji Lake axis, displacing villagers, levying communities, and terrorising border settlements across Nigeria?s northwest.

However, the absence of Mahmuda?s voice often sent in Hausa audio messages demanding protection levies or issuing threats has sparked renewed hope among locals.

A village elder in Baruten, who spoke under anonymity, said the mood in his community has been quietly jubilant since Saturday.

?We have not heard Mahmuda?s voice, and none of his men knows his whereabouts,? he said. ?The rumour is that DSS tracked him to one of his spiritualists and captured him alive. If this is true, then it is a big victory for all of us.?

According to him, the villagers strongly believe only the DSS could have executed such a high-level operation with precision and silence.

?Muna matukar farin ciki da DSS akan wannan falala da suka yi cikin sirri,? he said in Hausa, which loosely translates to: ?We are very happy with what the DSS has done for us, and with such secrecy. These terrorists have been a source of severe headache for us.?

He also thanked President Bola Tinubu for allegedly responding to their long-standing cries for intervention.

Also speaking, the leader of a cattle market in the area expressed relief, saying his community had been under constant threat and economic hardship due to Mahmuda?s activities.

?Muna godiya ga Allah da wannan babban nasara,? he said. ?We thank God for this great victory. We were living in fear, and now we can breathe. Thanks to the President and those carrying out these secret operations.?

Mahmuda, 33, is originally from Daura in Katsina State. Independent security sources told Zagazola that he once made a living selling Islamic tapes and recordings of radical clerics, including Boko Haram founder Mohammed Yusuf.

He reportedly joined Boko Haram in its early years but later switched to Ansaru, before forming the Mahmuda faction around the Kainji Lake National Park (KLNP) region, a forested area of over 5,300 square kilometres ? larger than Anambra State.

It is believe the group built alliances with terrorist cells in Mali and Niger Republic, drawing logistical and ideological support from regional jihadist networks.

In recent months, Mahmuda?s fighters had grown bolder, storming villages in broad daylight, collecting levies, and sacking entire communities. His audio threats had become a source of dread across the border communities.

A security source familiar with recent operations confirmed to Zagazola that the DSS had been quietly executing intelligence-led missions targeting high-profile terrorist leaders.

?Though details of Mahmuda?s disappearance remain sketchy, what?s not in doubt is that DSS operations in the North have become more surgical and efficient under the current leadership,? the source said.

As of Wednesday, security personnel across Kwara and Niger States remained on high alert, even as community leaders urged continued vigilance amid hopes that the group may fracture in the absence of its central command figure.

While the DSS has neither confirmed nor denied the reports, the atmosphere in Baruten and parts of Niger points to a rare moment of cautious optimism ? the kind that only comes when a long-feared enemy seemingly vanishes without a trace. (Zagazola, but headline rejigged)

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