Former Governor of Sokoto State, Sen. Aminu Tambuwal, has said that a group, Lakurawa, which has lately terrorised communities in North-West states, is not new in the country as erroneously portrayed in Nigeria’s security circle.
The well-armed group, which is traced to Mali and other countries in the Sahel, is known to attack villages, kill people, rustle cattle, and take possession of other valuables.
Weeks ago, the group attacked Mera, a community in Augie Local Government Area of Kebbi State, killing at least 17 people.
The attack forced the Nigerian Army to deploy soldiers in the area, using coordinated ground and aerial responses in a bid to flush out the terrorists.
Speaking on the floor of the Senate in Abuja on Wednesday, Tambuwal said the group was not new in Nigeria as it first attacked Sokoto in 2018 while he was still the governor.
Tambuwal, who was contributing to a debate on a motion urging sustained military action against the group, informed the Senate that the security circle was aware of the group’s presence as far back as 2018.
He recalled how in 2018, he sought the help of the military to repel the terrorists and flush them out of the state.
“I was surprised to hear the military saying that Lakurawa is a new group or phenomenon. That is not correct.
“These people are well-armed, and the time to take them seriously is now, else they will spread to other parts of the North-west or become another bandit group,” Tambuwal told the Senate.
The motion was sponsored by Sen. Yahaya Abdullahi (Kebbi-North), who called for sustained military action against the group, adding that the terrorists had taken over some parts of Sokoto and Kebbi states.
He told the Senate that, but for the swift response of the military, the group would have committed more atrocities in the latest attacks.
However, Abdullahi said the military actions must be sustained in order to prevent the group from spreading to more parts of the North-West.
The Senate commended the military for the prompt response, urging them to “maintain presence and prevent them (terrorists) from spreading further across the region.”
It also called on the military to work with communities to set up early warnings and prevent further incursions by members of the group.
The Federal Government was asked to send an assessment team to the area to help in planning relief for the victims.
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