The Defence Headquarters on Thursday confirmed the emergence of a new terrorists group known as ‘Lukarawas’ that are exacerbating insecurity in the North Western part of Nigeria.
Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, told journalists in Abuja while reviewing military operations in the last one week that the new terror group emerged from the Niger Republic after the coup that led to the breakdown of military cooperation between Nigeria and Niger.
He said that the terrorists began incursion into Northern parts of Sokoto and Kebbi States from the Niger Republic and Mali axis, particularly after the coup in Nigeria’s northern neighbour.
General Buba said that before the coup, there were Nigerian joint border operations with Nigerien security forces, which kept the terrorists at bay.
“The terrorists took advantage of the gaps in cooperation between both countries and exploited difficult terrains to make incursions in remote areas in some North Western states to spread their ideology,” he said.
Buba said that the group was accommodated by the locals, who initially thought that the group meant well for them, adding that they failed to report the movement to the military and security agencies.
He gave assurance that troops had sustained Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) to degrade the terrorists.
He added that the terror group had continued to take advantage of the vast under-governed areas to hide and evade troops as well as harass the locals.
According to him, troops are locating them and eliminating the threat.
The Nigeria Police, Sokoto State Command, had earlier confirmed the presence of the armed Islamic group “Lakurawas” who are operating in about five Local Government Areas of the State.
State Command Spokesperson, Ahmed Rufai, said on Wednesday that the group, armed with sophisticated weapons, had been operating in Gudu, Tangaza, Binji, Illeila, and one other LGAs, imposing its Islamic beliefs on the populace.
“They have been in those areas for some years now. They are armed with weapons and part of their agenda is to impose their own kind of religious practice on the people.
“They even attack suspected bandits in the area as, according to information available to us, they claim to be working against illegalities,” he said.
The Sokoto State government had earlier expressed concern over the emergence of another criminal group in the state.
The Deputy Governor, Alhaji Idris Mohammed Gobir, disclosed this while receiving participants of Course 33 of the National Defence College, Abuja, who were on a study tour in the State.
Gobir said the group was known to be a faith-based idealist, adding that “an assessment carried out indicated that the group possessed sophisticated weapons and their criminal activities were observed in about five local government areas in the State. The sad development was happening at the time when the State was being faced by banditry.
“As the threat was expanding, security authorities were working assiduously to address the emerging threat. The State government has been working closely with the federal security agencies to address numerous security threats to lives and properties of the people of the State.”