FELIX NWANERI writes on the emergence of a new terror group known as Lakuwara, which seems to compound Nigeria’s security challenges despite efforts by President Bola Tinubu’s administration to root out criminal gangs threatening the peace and stability of the country

With an area of over 923,773 square kilometres, the largest single geographical unit along the west coast of Africa and the largest population in the continent, Nigeria has become a land of violence and there is no doubt that insecurity across the country portends danger to the nation’s continued existence.

From the Boko Haram insurgency ravaging the North-East geopolitical zone to banditry and kidnapping in the North-West; farmers/herders clash in the North Central; militancy cum oil theft in the South-South and agitation for self-determination in the South-East, there is no doubt that the picture about Nigeria is that of a nation at war with herself.

The Boko Haram insurgency, which is driven by Islamic extremists has not only claimed thousands of lives and property worth billions of naira, it has turned millions of Nigerians to refugees in their own country. Also, across most northern states and even neigbouring Chad, Niger Republic and Cameroon, are camps for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) of Nigerian origin.

The Federal Government, had in 2015, pronounced Boko Haram “technically defeated,” but the insurgents have remained an ever present threat. Consequently, the crisis has continued to disrupt economic and social activities in the affected states, while rebuilding efforts by the Federal Government in conjunction with donor agencies have gulped billions of naira.

For the bandits ravaging the North-West, kidnapping for ransom and cattle rustling have become lucrative businesses. In the oil-rich but impoverished South-South, sabotage of pipelines by oil thieves has become legendary.

Similarly, rising ethnic tension over activities of killer herdsmen across the country has not only exposed the heterogeneous nature of Nigeria, but the tendency of the various ethnic nationalities towards parochial consciousness, which is gradually driving Nigeria to the edge.

The farmers/herder crisis, which has claimed thousands of lives, is mainly as a result of disputes over land resources between Muslim Fulani herders and Christian farmers. The impact of the crisis has been more devastating in the North Central but the herders have advanced towards the southern part of the country, thereby shifting the battleground.

Separatist agitation in the South-East, on its part, has devastated the zone but equally led to loss of lives. Of note is the Mondays’ stay-at-home directive by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) over government’s continued detention of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, which has left businesses in the area gasping for breath.

These security challenges, at a time, prompted some stakeholders to call on Nigerians to bear arms and defend themselves as the Federal Government seems to have failed to perform its core function of protection of lives and property. But justifiable as this proposal seemed, some notable Nigerians, warned against the dangers of such measure.

This stakeholder recalled how some nonstate actors emerged across the country in the name of protecting their respective zones, only for them to transform to self-determination and even terror groups. Rather than half measures, they called for concerted efforts by the federal and state governments if insecurity is to be addressed.

This so-called Lakurawa… are making a mistake; nobody ever dares Tinubu and wins. They have come at the wrong time; nobody has ever defeated Tinubu

Challenges persist despite

Tinubu’s riot act While there is no doubt that the various security challenges predate the present administration, they have persisted even with President Bola Tinubu’s declaration on assumption of office that his government will not yield ground to those he termed as “divisive elements.”

Recall that the President in his inaugural speech on May 29, 2023, promised to “defend the nation from terror and all forms of criminality that threaten the peace and stability of our country.”

He reiterated this when he replaced the service chiefs his administration inherited from the Muhammadu Buhari administration.

Giving a marching order to the then newly-appointed service chiefs, National Security Adviser (NSA) and Inspector General of Police (IGP), President Tinubu charged them to work together in order to strengthen the fight against insecurity.

It was against this backdrop that the NSA, Nuhau Ribadu, who addressed journalists after their first meeting with the President in June 2023, said: “We are going to work tirelessly to ensure we accomplish that objective of securing our country, establishing peace, stability and getting our lives back.”

The Chief of Defence Staff, General Chris Musa, who spoke in like manne, said: “As the CDS, my promise to Nigeria is that we will continue to improve our mandate of sustaining peace and tranquility in our country.

We assure every Nigerian to feel safe that the Armed Forces of Nigeria are up and doing. We are highly professional and will be there for them. “Nobody should doubt our determination to bring peace to Nigeria. Anybody, especially the criminals, bandits, terrorists, anyone who thinks otherwise, should be ready to face the music.”

Lakurawa compounds security woes

While killings and destruction of the public facilities have persisted despite efforts by the security agencies to curb activities of the terror groups the recent confirmation by the Defence Headquarters of emergence of a new terror group known as Lakuwara in the North-West, seems to have compounded the country’s security challenges.

The military said the previously unknown Lakurawa was linked to Islamic State, which operates in Kebbi and Sokoto states, first emerged in 2018, when the group started helping locals fight bandits and cattle rustlers. But the relationship turned sour as residents began accusing Lakurawa of stealing their cattle and seeking to impose strict Islamic law.

The group retreated to the border areas of Niger and Mali but would make some incursions into Nigeria. Members of the group, on November 8, members of Lakurawa killed 15 people in an attack on Mera village in Augie Local Government Area of Kebbi State.

The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. General Edward Buba, who disclosed Lakurawa’s emergence, while briefing journalist on military operations, stated that the new terror group originated in the Republic of Niger after the recent coup, which disrupted military cooperation between Nigeria and Niger.

He explained that the terrorists began infiltrating northern areas of Sokoto and Kebbi States from Niger Republic and Mali, particularly following the coup in Niger.

According to him, joint border operations with Nigerien security forces, previously in place before the coup, had kept the terrorists at bay.

His words: “The terrorists took advantage of the gaps in cooperation between both countries and exploited difficult terrains to make incursions into remote areas in some north-western states to spread their ideology.

“The terrorists were initially welcomed by locals who believed they had good intentions. However, the movement was not reported to the military and security agencies.”

The DHQ spokesperson assured that troops have sustained Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) efforts to degrade the terrorists. He added that the group continued to exploit vast ungoverned areas to hide, evade troops, and harass locals but stated that troops were locating and eliminating the threat.

Govt talks tough

While many have expressed concern over emergence of the new terror group, the Federal Government through the National Security Adviser (Ribadu), averred that security agencies will flush out Lakurawa.

Ribadu, who gave Nigerians the assurance last week, while speaking at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Comptroller-General of Customs conference, said: “This so-called Lakurawa or whatever you call them are making a mistake; nobody ever dares Tinubu and wins. They have come at the wrong time; nobody has ever defeated Tinubu. “We will kick the so-called Lakurawa out of our country.

This is Nigeria of 2024. And this is a Nigeria where I can assure you the critics will be quiet one after the other. Things will change in our country. Boko Haram, which has been ravaging our country, is now on the run. Its members are now moving to other neighbouring countries because Nigeria is no longer conducive for their operations.”

While there is no doubt over the capability of the Federal Government to ensure law and order, there is also the need for all relevant stakeholders to ensure that the new terror group is flushed out before it snowballs into a large scale crisis.