The Defence Headquarters has confirmed the emergence of a new terrorist group known as ‘Lukarawas,’ which is exacerbating insecurity in the northwestern part of Nigeria. This was disclosed by the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, during a briefing on military operations on Thursday in Abuja.
Maj.-Gen. Buba revealed that the new terror group emerged from the Republic of Niger following the coup that disrupted military cooperation between Nigeria and Niger. The terrorists have since begun incursions into the northern parts of Sokoto and Kebbi States from the Niger Republic and Mali axis, particularly after the coup in Niger Republic.
Before the coup, joint border operations with Nigerien security forces had kept the terrorists at bay. However, the terrorists exploited the gaps in cooperation between the two countries and used difficult terrains to infiltrate remote areas in some northwestern states, spreading their ideology.
Maj.-Gen. Buba explained that the group was initially accommodated by locals who believed the group meant well, but they failed to report the movement to the military and security agencies. He assured that troops have sustained intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) efforts to degrade the terrorists.
The terror group continues to take advantage of vast under-governed areas to hide, evade troops, and harass locals. However, Maj.-Gen. Buba emphasized that troops are actively locating and eliminating the threat posed by the Lukarawas.
