Nigerian Military Forces Lakurawa Militants into Retreat with Intensified Ground, Air Strikes in Northwest

Nigerian troops have forced the Lakurawa terrorist group into retreat amid a series of intensified air and ground assaults targeting their strongholds in Kebbi and Sokoto states. This offensive, as reported by the counter-insurgency publication Zagazola Makama, aims to dismantle the group’s resource networks and curtail their operations in the region.

The coordinated attacks were executed in collaboration with Operation Fansan Yamma and Operation Farautar Mujiya, leveraging both aerial and ground forces. The operations successfully seized large numbers of livestock—a crucial source of revenue for the Lakurawa group—significantly impacting their financial resources.

Due to persistent military pressure, Lakurawa fighters have reportedly been forced to retreat towards Borgu, a strategic area close to the Nigeria-Benin border. Borgu’s remote terrain and access to cross-border livestock and grain markets have historically served as a cover for the group’s activities, allowing them to evade security forces while engaging in trade-based revenue generation.

According to Zagazola Makama, intelligence indicates that the group may be seeking to exploit less-monitored regions further south, particularly around Ilesha Bariba in Kwara State. This area’s proximity to the Benin border presents additional opportunities for illicit activities to go undetected, potentially providing a new base for regrouping and resuming smuggling operations.

Nigerian Troops Recover Stolen Cattle

In a related development, Nigerian troops from Headquarters 1 Brigade and 1 Battalion, deployed to Kalgo village, recovered 38 cattle suspected to have been stolen by Lakurawa operatives. Reports indicate that as troops advanced, the militants abandoned the livestock and fled. The recovered cattle were returned to their rightful owners in Mera village, Augie Local Government Area, Kebbi State.

Ongoing operations across Sokoto, Kebbi, and Zamfara are designed to not only disrupt the movement of armed groups but also prevent future incursions. Local intelligence sources also reported a Lakurawa raid in Kura village, Soron Yamma ward of Binji Local Government Area, where militants seized a substantial number of livestock without causing harm to the villagers.