A previously little-known terrorist group called “Sai Mallam” has allegedly planted itself in at least 10 rural communities across Kebbi State, imposing monthly levies of ₦5 million on each village and threatening to seize farmlands and attack residents if the payments are not made.

Community sources reported the development to SaharaReporters on Friday, June 27, 2026, saying the group had entrenched itself in parts of Argungu and Zuru emirates after relocating to Kebbi in the first quarter of 2026.

The affected communities in Argungu Emirate are Alwasa, Danba, Sarkin Gobir, Unwara, and Zazzagawa. In Zuru Emirate, the villages named are Zodi, Tadurga, Senchi, Ciroman, and Dabai.

Residents said group members summoned community leaders and delivered their demands directly.

“They have told our people that every month they must produce ₦5m. They said if we fail to pay, they will take over our farmlands and attack our communities,” a community source said.

Youth Recruitment and Radical Indoctrination on the Rise

Beyond the financial demands, the group’s alleged recruitment of vulnerable young people is drawing deep concern.

SaharaReporters claims a resident told it that the group arrived with a deliberate strategy — targeting unemployed youth with promises of food and money before introducing extremist ideology.

“They came with a strategy. They promised young people monthly allowances and food rations. After recruiting them, they started preaching radical ideologies, convincing them that what they are doing is jihad,” the source said.

“Many of those joining them are Almajiri children who were abandoned by their parents and Mallams. Most of them are not even from Kebbi State. Some are from Niger Republic and Chad,” the source added.

Almajiri refers to children — mostly boys — enrolled in a traditional Islamic education system common across northern Nigeria and neighbouring countries.

Many live on the streets, survive by begging, and have limited access to formal schooling or social services, making them acutely vulnerable to recruitment by criminal and extremist groups.

The Kebbi State Government publicly acknowledged the threat days earlier, when Security Adviser retired Colonel Danladi Ribah addressed a town hall meeting with the Deputy Inspector-General of Police for the North-West, DIG Suleiman Muhammad Abdul.

“Without an iota of doubt, ‘Sai Mallam’ adherents are present in multitude in Argungu, who were earlier detected in Zuru but in lesser numbers,” Ribah said.

He said the group was first active in Sokoto State, where security agencies curtailed its operations before it relocated to Kebbi. Furthermore, Ribah identified multiple separate security threats bearing down on the state from several directions.

“Lakurawa are coming into Kebbi on hit-and-run invasions from Sokoto State and the Republic of Niger; Mamudawa enter our territory from Kwara and Niger states, while bandits attack Kebbi from Zamfara State,” he said.

Police Investigating — But Say No Terror Designation Exists Yet

Kebbi State Police Command say it is actively investigating the reports.

In a statement issued by Police Public Relations Officer SP Bashir Usman, the Command said it is verifying information received through actionable intelligence about the group’s alleged resurgence in Argungu Local Government Area.

The Command also clarified an important legal point: the “Sai Malam” group has not been designated as a terrorist organisation under any existing proscription order in Nigeria.

The Police added that suspects arrested and prosecuted in Zuru in February 2026 were connected to alleged criminal activities involving suspected counterfeit currencies — including Nigerian ₦, US dollars, CFA francs, and Libyan dinars — as well as suspected ritual items. Crucially, no firearms were recovered from those suspects.

SP Usman called on residents to remain calm and cooperate with security agencies.

Meanwhile, community members are growing frustrated. “The government has acknowledged the problem, but acknowledgement is not enough. We need soldiers on the ground before these people completely overrun our villages,” one resident said.

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