A human rights activist and expert on violent extremism in Sub-Saharan Africa, Bulama Bukarti, has said Lakurawa group is not a new terrorist organization in Nigeria.
Mr Bukarti said, contrary to a recent claim by Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters, the group has been in existence in Nigeria since 2016.
He stated this during an interview on Channels TV’s current affairs program, ‘Politics Today’, on Monday.
“The group that is called Lakurawa today has been sporadically living or camping in the northwestern part of Nigeria for over six years now. They first started illegally entering Nigeria around 2016, 2017,” Mr Bukarti said.
“But they did not stay permanently. What they do—and that’s what they do still today—is that they move in, stay for a few months, and then they go back to the Sahel or wherever they are coming from in Niger [Republic].”
”They’re not a new group. The DSS is aware of it. We thought they had been chased out, but we later found out that it was a deal that they should either leave or be attacked…,” Mr Bukarti disclosed.
The security expert specifically claimed that the Nigerian Army is aware of the group and the police also know about its existence.
“In 2018, they [Nigerian Army] fought the same group and pushed them back to the Niger Republic, and this group has been staying, camping in northwestern Nigeria since 2016-2017,” the expert said.
Also the spokesperson of the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, Tukur Muhammad-Baba, who appeared on the show, corroborated Mr Bukarti’s comment, saying the terror group has been around for a while.
“This is not a new group. In fact, when they emerged about 2017 and 2018, I think, at least, the DSS is aware of it,” he said.
“At least one journalist who came and spoke on the issue said he had a meeting with the DSS.
“At that time when everything went wild, we thought they had been chased out only to be told later on that it was a deal that they should either leave or they would be attacked.
“They decided to leave and ask for time to get rid of some of the cattle they possessed, whether it was cattle they took from people as zakat”, the ACF spokesman added.
Mr Bukarti said although the Lakurawa group is not as sophisticated as Boko Haram but “they are potentially dangerous”.
“You know Boko Haram became a transnational terror group and nothing was done until after it had operated for many years. And had gathered experience, arms and money through kidnapping and other terrorism activities.
“This one is not up to the level of Boko Haram in terms of sophistication, lethality, experience and connection. But they are potentially very dangerous.
“You can’t travel five kilometers in one local government in Kebbi State without encountering Lakurawa on your way. All the villages surrounding the local government headquarters are under the control of Lakurawa.
“As we speak, they are serving as judges for local people. If you have a local problem, a dispute with your neighbour, you report to them because they have forbidden traditional rulers from intervening in any dispute that is brought to them.
“Traditional rulers have no option but to obey them because they will kill them if they don’t obey their instruction.
“If farmers have their farms encroached by herders, they report to Lakurawa. And Lakurawa summons the parties, adjudicates the dispute, and order compensation against those they found wanting.”
