The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has lamented that it is deeply concerned about the emergence of a new armed terror group, Lakurawa, in the Northwest states of Kebbi and Sokoto, as confirmed by local authorities as well as Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters.
According to a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Professor T.A. Muhammad Baba, the group has been reported to be terrorizing communities, sacking National Security agents and local vigilante outfits, and forcing compliance with its brand of justice system.
“Additionally, although membership of the group is reported to be of foreign origin (speaking French and a dialect of Arabic languages), it is said to engage in membership recruitment using monetary incentives and/or force,” he added.
“Already, within the last 48 hours, the group had attacked communities in Argungu Local Government Area, killing 15 persons,” he added.
“This development is simply one too many. ACF considers the emergence of this group as very dangerous and alarming, as it indicates an escalation in the already devastating state of insecurity in the Northwest, now Nigeria’s epicenter of terrorism.
“Coming amid signs of success from the renewed vigor by the Nigerian military to decapitate banditry in this zone, the new development raises serious concerns, as it presents a further grave challenge to Nigeria’s national security interests.
“Thus, the group should not be toyed with in any form and must be processed and treated with all seriousness. Lakurawa, at this incipient stage of its emergence, must not be tolerated or allowed to entrench itself in our communities through benign neglect and/or kid-glove treatment, as was the case with Boko Haram insurgency, farmer-herder clashes, and banditry in the Northeast, Northcentral, and Northwest areas, respectively.
“This is the moment for our security agencies to move fast, and urgently too, to subjugate and decapitate the Lakurawa terror gangs with all the human and material arsenals at their disposal, without hesitation.
“For the umpteenth time, ACF urges an immediate, comprehensive, and thorough reappraisal of Nigeria’s national security strategies and tactics, so as to leave no doubt about the national resolve to deal decisively with any and all threats to Nigeria’s peace and stability, as may be contemplated by terror groups of whatever form or description.
“ACF believes that the development in question brings into sharp focus the need for the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MJTF) arrangement with neighbors to be reinvigorated and reinforced.
“Niger Republic must be persuaded to return to participate in the endeavor. The visit to Niger Republic earlier in the year by Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, should be utilized as a fulcrum for renewed cross-border international efforts to deal with terrorists.”
“The Federal Government, state, and local authorities should also leverage the close, complex historic, socio-cultural, economic, and political ties with Nigeria’s neighbors to confront the mutual existential security threats that terror groups pose to all.
“ACF further calls for: Intensification of intelligence gathering, processing, storage, retrieval, deployment, and utilization.
Attention to be paid to the possible involvement of local informants in communities, and such individuals, whoever they are, without regard to their station in society, must unequivocally be made to know the dire consequences of any involvement with terror groups in any form whatsoever.
Greater and more effective inter-agency collaboration among national security agencies under the coordination of the Office of the National Security Advisor.
“Involvement of local traditional and religious leaders, persons of influence, hunters, vigilante outfits, and other community influencers to form vanguards of support for security operations.
“Training of citizens of border and other communities in early warning and early response strategies to complement the efforts of national security agencies; re-establishment of security and defense joint cooperation with neighboring countries, especially Niger Republic in this instance.
“Communities and citizens should be mobilized to cooperate with and support the national security agencies and field operators with encouragement and prayers.
“Finally, investigate and take decisive diplomatic action against any foreign powers for any possible support or involvement, even if surreptitious or tangentially so, in anti-Nigeria threats.”
Lakurawa: ACF demands urgent action to decimate new terror group in Northwest
