Security experts have warned that the Lakurawa terrorist group poses a security threat in the Sahel Region and requires a collective effort to end the menace.

According to them, research has shown that originally, Lakurawa were vigilantes who rose to fight against the injustices they perceived were being perpetrated against Fulani and Buzaye.

Raising from the major conference organised by the Center for Peace Studies at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, the stakeholders from within and outside Nigeria demanded action.

According to Labaran Bello Tangaza, a researcher at the West African Peace Building Institute, the group was formed to protect the Fulani and Buzaye communities from cattle rustlers.

They were given arms to defend their livestock. Research has shown that the Lakurawa gained popularity by claiming to adhere to Islamic principles, which earned them acceptance and allegiance from people, leading to intermarriage with local communities where they initially settled, he said.