Kehinde Fajobi
The Lakurawa terror group, reported as a recent emergence by Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters, has actually been active in Nigeria’s northwestern regions for several years, according to security analyst Bulama Bukarti and Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) spokesperson Tukur Muhammad-Baba.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, Bukarti explained, “The group that is called Lakurawa today has been sporadically living or camping in the northwestern part of Nigeria for over six years now. They first started illegally entering Nigeria around 2016, 2017.”
He elaborated that the group’s pattern involves periodic infiltration.
“They move in, stay for a few months, and then they go back to the Sahel or wherever they are coming from in Niger [Republic]. They’re not a new group, and the DSS is aware of it. We thought they had been chased out but later found out it was a deal that they should either leave or be attacked.”
Bukarti also claimed that the Nigerian Army has been aware of Lakurawa’s presence and had previously engaged them.
“In 2018, they [the Nigerian Army] fought the same group and pushed them back to the Niger Republic, and this group has been camping in northwestern Nigeria since 2016-2017,” he noted.
ACF’s Muhammad-Baba agreed with Bukarti, emphasising that security agencies have long been informed of the group’s activities.
“This is not a new group. In fact, when they emerged around 2017 or 2018, at least the DSS was aware of it,” he stated.
Muhammad-Baba recounted discussions held with journalists and security agents at the time.
“One journalist said he had a meeting with the DSS. At that time, we thought they had been chased out, only to learn later that it was a deal: they should either leave or face attack. The group decided to depart, requesting time to deal with cattle they held—whether taken as zakat or otherwise.”