The Nigerian Army and their counterparts in Chad, Niger, and other neighbouring countries have commenced joint patrols to contain cross-border threats posed by the Lakurawa terrorist group.
The collaborative effort aims to restrict the movement of the group, which has been linked to heinous criminal activities in the northern part of Nigeria and its neighbours.
This was as the Sokoto State Government expressed frustration over the difficulty of containing the group due to its weak borders.
The Lakurawa group, affiliated with terrorists in the Sahel, particularly from Mali and Niger Republic, became a national security challenge after launching its first audacious attack on November 4.
Last month, it was reported that the new terror group set up camps in 10 Local Government Areas of Sokoto and Bauchi states before its operations became known to the public three weeks ago.
According to sources, members of the terror group initially established camps in villages bordering Nigeria and Niger Republic, including Gwanaguano, Mulawa, Wassinya, and Turigaic communities.
They eventually infiltrated Nigeria and set up camps in different communities, especially in Gudu and Tangaza LGAs of Sokoto in 2018.
A researcher with the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Dr Murtala Rufa’i, said the group had been planning to establish its caliphate for over 25 years.
He disclosed that the group had between 1,500 and 1,800 followers, including clerics and youths in the Tangaza and Gudu axis, the ancestral home of the Lakurawa leaders.
