Army confirms emergence of ‘Lukarawas’ terrorist organization in Nigeria

The Nigerian Defense Headquarters has confirmed the existence of a new terrorist organisation. ‘Lukarawas’ This is starting to seep into the Northwest region, further exacerbating the insecurity local residents already face.

This was announced by Major General. Director of Defense Media Operations, Edward Buba, at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, November 7, 2024.

Major General-Gen. Buba explained that following the recent political instability in the Republic of Niger, the ‘Lukarawas’ group began operating in northern Nigeria.

The coup in Niger led to the breakdown of security cooperation between Nigerian and Nigerian forces, allowing the Lukarawas group to exploit weaknesses on the border.

“Terrorists took advantage of gaps in cooperation between the two countries and exploited difficult terrain to launch attacks in remote areas in some Northwestern provinces to spread their ideology.” Buba stated.

According to him, these attacks primarily affected the northern Sokoto and Kebbi states, where the group entered from the axis of Niger Republic and Mali.

Unwanted support from local people

Buba explained that local communities initially offered support to the Lukarawas group, mistakenly believing that the group had peaceful intentions.

“The group was initially hosted by local people who thought the group had good intentions for them.” he stated. However, this aid unintentionally made it easier for the group to establish itself in these areas.

In response, Buba stated that the Nigerian military has intensified Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) operations to locate and neutralize members of the group.

Defense Headquarters noted that the Lukarawas group exploited large, under-governed areas in Northwestern Nigeria to evade detection and engage in activities that threatened local populations.

“The terrorist group continued to take advantage of large areas of unadministered territory to hide and evade soldiers, as well as to harass local residents,” the major general said. Buba explained.

What you need to know

• One on July 26, 2023 A military coup took place in Niger after some groups in the armed forces declared that they had taken control and suspended the constitution.
• The coup began when President Mohamed Bazoum’s plan to replace presidential guard commander General Abdourahmane Tchiani led to his arrest by the guards.
• The coup led to the suspension of civilian rule and the establishment of a military junta; The military backed the new junta, and military leaders stated their aim was to avoid a deadly conflict that could lead to widespread violence between rival groups.
• Before the coup, Nigeria and Niger were working closely together to combat terrorism, helping to stop militant activities by conducting joint security operations along their shared border.
• However, the breakdown of this cooperation following the coup allowed these terrorist groups to take advantage of weakened security by launching attacks into Nigeria using remote and difficult terrain along the border.

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