The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has announced that nine individuals tied to the notorious Lakurawas terrorist group are now wanted for terrorism, sending ripples through the northern Nigerian states of Sokoto and Kebbi. Among the declared suspects are Abu Khadijah, Abdurrahman, Dadi Gumba (also known as Abu Muhammed), Usman Shehu, Abu Yusuf, Musa Wa’a, Ibrahim Suyeka, Ba Sulhu, and Idris Taklakse. They are believed to have capitalized on recent security disruptions to infiltrate remote border communities.
The suspects' entry into Nigerian territory is reportedly linked to the coup in neighboring Niger Republic, which temporarily halted the joint security operations between the two nations. Before the political turmoil, Nigerian and Nigerien forces had collaborated closely, maintaining a strong line of defense against terrorist threats along the border. The breakdown in this coordination appears to have given the Lakurawas group room to exploit the challenging terrain and establish footholds in poorly monitored regions.
Local residents, initially unaware of the group's violent motives, were reluctant to inform authorities, allowing the terrorists a stealthy entry into these areas. As the situation escalates, Nigerian troops are ramping up their response, deploying advanced surveillance and intelligence resources to locate and apprehend these suspects.
"The terrorists took advantage of the gaps in cooperation between both countries and exploited the difficult terrains to make incursions in remote areas in some North Western states to spread their ideology,” stated Edward Buba, Director of Defence Media Operations, on Thursday.
In their pursuit of security and peace, DHQ assures citizens that the Nigerian Army is fully committed to dismantling terrorist networks and restoring order across affected regions.
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