ABUJA, Nov 7 – The Nigerian military has issued a stern warning about a new insurgent group, Lakurawas, which is infiltrating the country’s northwest region from neighboring Niger and Mali.
According to Major-General Edward Buba, the military spokesperson, the group, linked to militias operating in the Sahel region, has been active in the northwestern states of Sokoto and Kebbi. The group’s exact ideology remains unclear.
Buba attributed the increased incursion of Lakurawas to the July 2023 coup in Niger, which disrupted joint military patrols along the Nigeria-Niger border. Though patrols have since resumed, the military remains on high alert to counter further infiltration attempts.
Nigeria is already grappling with a long-standing insurgency in its northeast, primarily driven by Boko Haram and ISWAP. The emergence of Lakurawas poses a significant security challenge to the northwest region, which has been plagued by armed gangs and kidnappings.
In a recent operation, the military reported killing 163 insurgents, arresting 82, and rescuing over 80 kidnapped individuals in the northwest region.
