The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has declared nine terrorists wanted, without offering any bounty, as part of ongoing efforts to combat rising insecurity in Nigeria. The individuals named include Abu Khadijah, Abdurrahman, Dadi Gumba a.k.a Abu Muhammed, Usman Kanin Shehu, Abu Yusuf, Musa Wa’a, Ibrahim Suyeka, BA Sulhu, and Idris Taklakse.
In a significant development, the military high command also confirmed the emergence of a new terrorist group known as ‘Lukarawas,’ which has exacerbated insecurity in the North-Western region of Nigeria. The group has been linked to incursions in Sokoto and Kebbi states following the coup in neighboring Niger.
The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, made these revelations during a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday. Buba explained that the Lukarawas group emerged from the Republic of Niger after the political upheaval, which disrupted military cooperation between Niger and Nigeria.
According to Buba, before the coup, joint border operations with Nigerien forces had kept the terrorists in check. However, following the breakdown in cooperation, the group exploited the challenging terrain along the Niger-Mali axis to infiltrate remote areas in Sokoto and Kebbi states.
“The terrorists took advantage of the gaps in cooperation between both countries and exploited the difficult terrains to make incursions in remote areas in some North-Western states to spread their ideology,” Buba said.
He noted that the local communities initially harbored the terrorists, mistakenly believing they meant well, and failed to report their movements to the military.
Despite these challenges, Maj.-Gen. Buba assured that the military had ramped up Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) operations to track and degrade the terrorist cells. He added that the Lukarawas group continues to exploit vast under-governed areas to evade capture, harass locals, and spread their influence. However, troops remain focused on locating and neutralizing the threat posed by the group.
