The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has confirmed the emergence of a new terrorist group, ‘Lukarawas,’ in Sokoto and surrounding regions in northwestern Nigeria. The Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, disclosed this development during a military briefing in Abuja, where he highlighted the origins and infiltration patterns of this new sect.

According to Maj. Gen. Buba, the ‘Lukarawas’ group, which first surfaced in the Republic of Niger, began crossing into Nigeria after the recent political upheaval in Niger disrupted long-standing military cooperation between the neighboring countries. This lapse in joint operations allowed the group to penetrate northern Sokoto and Kebbi States from Niger and Mali, taking advantage of remote, difficult-to-access areas along the border.

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“The terrorists exploited the gaps in cooperation between both countries,” Maj. Gen. Buba explained, adding that the group used rugged terrains to evade detection and spread its ideology across sparsely populated areas in northwestern Nigeria. He also noted that some local communities initially welcomed the group, mistaking its intentions and failing to notify military authorities of their presence.

Maj. Gen. Buba assured that Nigerian troops are maintaining a strong Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) campaign to dismantle the group’s operations. Although the group continues to use ungoverned spaces as cover, he noted that troops have begun to locate and eliminate these threats in an ongoing effort to stabilize the region.

Further confirmation of the sect’s presence came from the Sokoto State Police Command, which reported that ‘Lukarawas’ members, equipped with sophisticated weaponry, had already spread to five local government areas. The Command’s spokesperson, Ahmed Rufai, shared that these areas include Gudu, Tangaza, Binji, Illela, and an additional local government area, where the group has been actively imposing its beliefs on local residents.