Details have emerged on how the Lakurawa terror group settled in Sokoto with help from local herdsmen seeking protection from bandits.
Last week, the Nigerian Army warned about this new threat, explaining that the group has roots stretching back to 2018.
According to a source, the group first appeared in the Gongono Forest in Tangaza Local Government Area in 2018. They were reportedly brought in by herdsmen who wanted defense against repeated attacks on their cattle by local bandits.
On December 16, 2018, a resident received a call from Ibrahim Bello, then the Director of the Department of State Services (DSS) in Sokoto.
Bello informed him about a group of armed militants occupying the forest, who were receiving support from the local governor, Aminu Tambuwal, to help security forces drive them out.
The group, allegedly from Algeria and Mali, established a community following strict Islamic rules, banning smoking, drinking, and other non-conforming behaviours. They enforced tax payments on herdsmen with large cattle populations, as mandated by Islamic teachings.
Reports indicate that their base in the dense Gongono Forest gives the group access to key routes between Nigeria and Niger, which may help them stay hidden and operate in secrecy.
The group’s violent tactics were first witnessed in their attack on Balle District’s traditional leader, whom they killed after a dispute with his son. This marked the beginning of a series of attacks and strict controls on local villages.
In a recent motion, National Assembly member Sani Yakubu urged the government to increase security in the area. He warned that Lakurawa fighters, joined by other bandits, were making life impossible for farmers and villagers. He requested the military to send more troops to secure the forests.
Maj-Gen Edward Buba, spokesperson for the Defense Headquarters, confirmed last week that the military has located the group’s hideouts in Sokoto and Kebbi.
“Now that we know where they are, we are already going after them, and we will take them out,” he said, promising action against the group, which is suspected to have links to ISIS.
