Fresh investigations have uncovered the identity of the terrorist commander responsible for the deadly attack in Woro community, Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State.
The massacre, which claimed about 176 lives, has now been linked to Abubakar Saidu, widely known as Sadiku.
Security findings made available to Politics Nigeria show the attack was carefully planned and not an isolated incident.
Sadiku is believed to be leading a dangerous expansion of terrorist operations into the North-Central region. Analysts now describe him as the “Shekau of the North-Central” because of his growing influence and violent tactics.
Residents said the attackers stormed the community with heavy weapons and left behind massive destruction. Many families were forced to flee their homes after the assault.
Sadiku’s journey into terrorism dates back more than a decade. He was once a close aide of former Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau. In 2014, he was sent to Niger State to spread the group’s activities beyond the North-East.
Over the years, military pressure in Borno and nearby states forced him to move westward. He later settled within forest zones stretching across Niger and Kwara states.
His operations later grew stronger after forming links with bandit leaders and extremist groups. At a point, he worked alongside the notorious Dogo Gide. The partnership helped him gain weapons and fighters.
That alliance later collapsed due to ideological disputes. Deadly clashes followed between both groups. Sadiku then withdrew deeper into the forests and established a new base inside the Kainji Forest Reserve in mid-2025.
Security experts say this move marked a major shift. He abandoned bandit-style crime and adopted a more extremist campaign of terror focused on controlling rural communities.
The Kainji Forest Reserve has now become a major operational hub for armed groups. It connects insurgents from the North-East with criminal networks in the North-West and North-Central regions.
Experts describe the forest as Nigeria’s “new Sambisa.” It provides cover for recruitment, arms movement and coordinated attacks across Kwara, Niger, Kebbi and parts of Kaduna State.
Sadiku’s faction has also been linked to foreign extremist groups operating in the Sahel. Intelligence reports suggest cooperation with Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an Al-Qaeda affiliate.
The Woro massacre reportedly occurred close to areas where JNIM carried out earlier attacks. This has raised fears of a growing alliance between the two groups.
Security trackers say recent attacks in Niger and Kwara follow the same pattern. Villages are raided, civilians targeted and territories gradually taken over.
Further findings show that some fighters from the Mahmuda group joined Sadiku after their leader was arrested in August 2025. Others reportedly fled across the border into Benin Republic.
Analysts noted that unlike the Mahmuda faction, which focused mainly on preaching, Sadiku’s group is openly violent and ruthless in its operations.
The expansion of his network has increased pressure on communities around Kaiama, Baruten and Borgu areas near the Kainji corridor.
Local security sources warned that the spread of these groups shows serious gaps in Nigeria’s security framework. They said early warning signs were ignored before the Woro tragedy happened.
Moreover, residents are now calling on the federal government to deploy more troops and clear terrorist camps from the forest reserves.
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