The Nigerian military has issued an alert about a new militia group, known as Lakurawas, making incursions into Nigeria’s northwest from Niger and Mali.
Defense spokesperson Major-General Edward Buba announced that the group, linked to militias active in the Sahel region, has recently entered parts of Sokoto and Kebbi states, particularly following the July 2023 coup in Niger, which had disrupted joint military border patrols.
Although patrols have resumed, Buba emphasized that the military remains on high alert to prevent further infiltration. The ideology of Lakurawas remains unclear, but its emergence adds to Nigeria’s security challenges, alongside the long-standing insurgency by Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in the northeast.
Buba also noted that military operations in the northwest last month resulted in 163 insurgents killed, 82 arrested, and the rescue of at least 80 kidnapped individuals. The region continues to face threats from armed groups involved in violence and ransom kidnappings.
