The defence minister spoke in Sokoto State on Monday while inspecting the facilities of the air component of Operation Fansan Yamma, adding that the military had taken a strong decision against the Lakurawa group.
“You heard it from the chairman of the local government area attacked by the Lakurawa in Kebbi State, testifying to the heavy presence of troops in the area.
“The Lakurawa were sent away from the area. This is as a result of the resilience and dedication of our security operatives.
“You are aware of the successes recorded by our air force; they bombarded some of the hideouts of bandits who are now on the run,” he said.
Speaking on the ongoing military operation against Lakurawa, the minister noted that the people in the affected areas were in the right position to speak on the operation.
“We just launched a new air platform in Katsina and unveiled the latest helicopters to fight banditry and Lakurawa, and we will redeploy some of them to Sokoto,” he said.
The minister was in the company of the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar, and other high-ranking military officers.
SaharaReporters had days ago reported that the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, issued a stern warning to the group, Lakurawa, operating in the North-West region.
Speaking at the opening of the Comptroller General of Customs Conference in Abuja, Ribadu had vowed that the new sect would not thrive under President Bola Tinubu’s leadership, emphasising that “their days are numbered” if they don’t cease their activities.
“Nobody dares President Bola Tinubu and gets away with it,” Ribadu had declared, insisting that the group’s timing was a miscalculation.
His statement follows the Defence Headquarters’ confirmation last week of the group’s activities, spreading terror across the Northwestern states of Sokoto and Kebbi.
In a news briefing, Major General Edward Buba, Director of Defence Media Operations, described Lakurawa as worsening insecurity in the North-West.
“Troops are confronted with a new terrorist sect in the North-West,” he had said.
“This sect is known as Lakuwaras, the Lakuwaras are affiliated to terrorists in the Sahel particularly from Mali and Niger Republic.” The group, General Buba added, emerged from Mali and Niger Republic following recent coups that disrupted military cooperation between Niger and Nigeria.
