Police Confirm Presence Of New Terrorist Group, Lakurawas In Five LGs In Sokoto State

The Sokoto State Command of the Nigeria Police Force has confirmed the presence of an armed Islamic group known as “Lakurawas,” which has been operating across several local government areas in the state.

Speaking to Punch on Wednesday, the spokesman for the command, Ahmed Rufai, revealed that the group, armed with sophisticated weaponry, has been active in Gudu, Tangaza, Binji, Illela, and another yet-to-be-identified local government area.

The group’s activities reportedly involve imposing its beliefs and practices on the local population.

He said, “They have been in those areas for some years now. They are armed with weapons and part of their agenda is to impose their own kind of religious practice on the people.

“They even attack suspected bandits in the area as, according to information available to us, they claim to be working against illegalities.”

The Sokoto State government had earlier expressed concern over the emergence of another criminal group in the state.

The Deputy Governor, Idris Mohammed Gobir, disclosed this while receiving participants of Course 33 of the National Defence College, Abuja, who were on a study tour in the state.

Gobir said the group was known to be a faith-based idealist.

He said, “An assessment carried out indicated that the group possessed sophisticated weapons and their criminal activities were observed in about five local government areas in the state.

“The sad development was happening at the time when the state was being faced by banditry.”

The deputy governor further said, “As the threat was expanding, security authorities were working assiduously to address the emerging threat.

“The state government has been working closely with the federal security agencies to address numerous security threats to lives and properties of the people of the state.”