Kehinde Fajobi
The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has urged the Nigerian military to take immediate and decisive action against the Lakurawa terror group, which has been terrorising communities in Sokoto and Kebbi states in the North West Zone.
In a statement issued by ACF National Publicity Secretary, Professor Tukur Muhammad-Baba, the Forum stressed the need for the military to use all resources at its disposal to “subjugate and decapitate” the group without delay.
Describing the emergence of Lakurawa as “very dangerous and alarming,” the ACF noted that it signals a disturbing escalation in the security crisis that has plagued the North-West, now seen as Nigeria’s epicentre of terrorism.
The statement emphasised that Lakurawa’s activities pose a serious threat to national security interests and called for immediate, strong measures to prevent the group from gaining any foothold or embedding itself within communities.
The ACF warned against any “benign neglect and/or kid-glove treatment” in handling the group, pointing to past failures in addressing Boko Haram, farmer-herder conflicts, and banditry in the Northeast, Northcentral, and Northwest regions.
The Forum said, “The group should not be tolerated or allowed to entrench itself or embed in communities as was the case with Boko Haram insurgency, farmer-herder clashes, and banditry.”
The ACF also called for a comprehensive re-evaluation of security strategies, stating that decisive action must be taken to demonstrate a national commitment to peace and stability.
The statement said, “There should be no doubt about the national resolve to deal decisively with any threats to the nation’s peace and stability as may be contemplated by terror groups of whatever forms or descriptions.”
In addition, the ACF stressed the importance of reinvigorating the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MJTF) and strengthening cross-border security cooperation.
“The visit to Niger Republic earlier in the year by Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, should be utilised as a fulcrum for renewed cross-border international efforts to deal with terrorists,” the statement read.
ACF noted that the Niger Republic should be encouraged to actively participate in these efforts, given the shared security threats that the Lakurawa group poses to the region.
The Forum also urged federal, state, and local authorities to leverage the close historical, socio-cultural, economic, and political ties with Nigeria’s neighbours to address shared security concerns effectively.
ACF further recommended an intensified approach to intelligence gathering and inter-agency collaboration.
This, it said, would involve “enhancing intelligence gathering, processing, storage, retrieval, deployment, and utilisation.”
The Forum stressed the importance of scrutinising local communities to uncover any informants aiding the group, with those found culpable facing arrest and prosecution.
Lastly, the ACF highlighted the need for effective coordination among national security agencies under the Office of the National Security Advisor to ensure a unified and robust response to the growing security challenge.