The Defence Headquarters has confirmed the emergence of a new terrorist group known as ‘Lukarawas’ in the North-western part of the country.
The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Edward Buba, disclosed this while briefing newsmen on military operations on Thursday in Abuja.
Buba stated that the new terror group originated in the Republic of Niger after the recent coup, which disrupted military cooperation between Nigeria and Niger.
He explained that the terrorists began infiltrating northern areas of Sokoto and Kebbi States from the Niger Republic and Mali, particularly following the coup in Niger.
According to him, joint border operations with Nigerien security forces, previously in place before the coup, had kept the terrorists at bay.
He said, “The terrorists took advantage of the gaps in cooperation between both countries and exploited difficult terrains to make incursions into remote areas in some north-western states to spread their ideology.
“The terrorists were initially welcomed by locals who believed they had good intentions. However, the movement was not reported to the military and security agencies.”
The DHQ spokesperson assured that troops have sustained Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) efforts to degrade the terrorists.
He added that the group continued to exploit vast ungoverned areas to hide, evade troops, and harass locals but stated that troops were locating and eliminating the threat.
PUNCH Online reports that the Nigerian Police Force, Sokoto State Command, had also confirmed the presence of the sect in about five local government areas of the state.
The spokesperson for the command, Ahmed Rufai, shared this information with our correspondent on Wednesday.
He reported that the group, armed with sophisticated weapons, has been operating in Gudu, Tangaza, Binji, Illela, and one other local government area, imposing its beliefs on the populace.