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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, has on behalf of the Nigerian Army declared the determination to eliminate the Lakurawa terrorist group, which poses a growing threat in the Northwest region.
He made the commitment during at a press briefing yesterday with State House Correspondents after meeting with President Bola Tinubu.
He emphasised the importance of collaboration with neighboring countries, including Niger and Chad.
“We are hitting them hard at the Nigerian end,” Oluyede stated, referring to the ongoing military operations aimed at dismantling the group’s infrastructure. He noted that joint border patrols, initiated on December 8, are crucial for restricting the movement of the Lakurawa group, which has been linked to a series of violent attacks and criminal activities across Sokoto and Kebbi states.
“Once you hit them hard here, they will flee to Niger Republic. Now that Niger is coming on board, it means very soon, Lakurawa will be a thing of the past,” he added.
The Lakurawa group gained notoriety for its brutal tactics, including a recent attack on Mera village in Kebbi State that resulted in 17 deaths. The group, initially seen as protectors against banditry, has evolved into a violent entity exploiting local vulnerabilities.
He explained that the group lured locals with financial incentives and agricultural support,adding that desperation led some community members to join their ranks.
In response to the escalating threat, he said the Federal Government planed to deploy additional military personnel to affected areas.
The COAS also disclosed that he visited two formations of division A in Northern Nigeria as well as the theatre operations, where he addressed the soldiers and motivated the troops on the need to end all forms of insecurity in Nigeria.
He said:“I actually visited two formations, that is the one in Northwest, A division, and the theatre operations in the Northeast. Basically I was there to speak with my officers and soldiers and to make them realise that there is need to end all forms of insecurity in Nigeria, and I made bold to tell them that I want things done differently and I expect better results going forward.
“Well, in a way its related to my appointment, I am here to reassure Mr President that I will do my best to make Nigeria better in terms of security and that I am going to explore doing this maybe in a different way. I will get results that will make Nigeria better. That is my major aim of coming and to seek his support, which he has been doing over the years, and I expect he will support us to do better.”
Director of Defence Media Operations, Major-General Edward Buba, had recently stated that joint patrols would help close security gaps that allowed the Lakurawa group to infiltrate Nigeria.
“We have commenced joint patrols with neighboring countries to block the gaps that enable their penetration,” he had said.
The Senate had also urged the military to collaborate with local communities in establishing early warning systems to prevent future attacks.
Senator Yahaya Abdullahi representing Kebbi North had warned that if decisive action was not taken, the Lakurawa group would expand its reign of terror beyond Sokoto and Kebbi states. “This is not just a local issue; it threatens national security,” he asserted.
