In a coordinated ground and air attacks against the Lakurawa armed group, chased its members to retreat from their strongholds in Kebbi and Sokoto states.
The military’s swift response comes after a devastating attack on the Mera community in Augie Local Government Area of Kebbi State, which claimed 17 lives .
Following the attack, the army headquarters deployed a contingent of soldiers to the area. Upon arrival in Birnin Kebbi, the troops met with Deputy Governor Abubakar Umar Tafida at the Cabinet Office before proceeding to Mera. According to Abdullahi Idris Zuru, media aide to the Kebbi governor, the troops successfully dislodged the bandits and recovered several rustled cattle left behind as the attackers fled.
The deployment was a response to an urgent appeal from Kebbi State governor, Dr. Nasir Idris, for federal support to address the escalating violence by armed groups disrupting life in rural communities. The governor’s plea for help came as the Lakurawa group, likened to Boko Haram, continues to impose taxes and levies on residents and promote an extremist agenda that rejects Western civilization and democratic governance .
The military’s intensified efforts have yielded positive results, with the Lakurawa group retreating from their camps in Kebbi and Sokoto states. The Nigerian Defence Headquarters has confirmed the group’s presence in these states, where they are suspected of setting up bases, DailyTrust reports.
As the military maintains its pressure on the Lakurawa group, residents of affected communities hope for a return to peace and normalcy. The ongoing operation is a crucial step towards curbing the escalating violence and restoring security in the region.
“The governor has pledged to safeguard the lives and property of all Kebbi State citizens, leading him to seek federal intervention to counter-terrorism across the state,” Zuru said.
Meanwhile, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has assured that the Lakurawa armed group terrorising Northwestern states would be flushed out of Nigeria.
Ribadu gave the assurance on Wednesday in Abuja at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Comptroller-General of Customs Conference, where he represented President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“We will chase the so-called Lukarawa out of our country. We will put critics to shame and shut their mouths in no time.
“Boko Haram, which has been ravaging our country, is now on the run. Its members are now moving to other neighbouring countries because Nigeria is no longer conducive for their operations,” he said.
He also said signs that things are getting better with the economy are there for all to see, citing increased crude oil production in the Niger Delta and the fiscal reforms by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as part of such efforts.
“Crude oil production has hit 1.8 million bpd and the Central Bank has been sanitised; no one is taking a dime from the CBN. When we promised that we would fix this country, we will do so because President Tinubu has never been a failure,” he added.
