The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, said on Sunday that Nigeria is now free of the new terror group, Lakurawa, saying the sect had been chased out of the country.

Matawalle made the assertion while addressing journalists at his residence in Gusau, the capital of Zamfara.

He dismissed the report by the Commissioner of Police in Zamfara State, Mohammed Shehu Dalijan, who had alleged that Lakurawa terrorists were responsible for the explosive devices that killed several people in the state a few weeks ago.

The Lakurawa group, initially emerging around 2016 or 2017 in Sokoto State, began as a self-defence militia invited by local leaders to combat escalating banditry.

Over time, they evolved into a radical faction, imposing strict religious laws and exerting control over local communities.

Their activities have expanded into Kebbi State, where they have been involved in violent attacks, including a ghastly operation in November 2024 in Mera village, Augie Local Government Area, resulting in multiple deaths and cattle rustling.

The Nigerian Defence Headquarters identified Lakurawa as a terrorist group affiliated with extremist elements from Mali and Niger, exacerbating insecurity in the northwestern region.

The group has reportedly disrupted local governance, usurping traditional rulers? roles and enforcing their own codes of conduct.

It is also known for recruiting local youths through financial incentives, offering up to N1m to attract followers.

But speaking on Sunday, the defence minister said, ?I want to make it clear that we have no Lakurawa in any part of the country, not even in Zamfara or Kebbi State.?

He further explained that the Lakurawa terrorists were from Mali and were forced to return to their country by the military.

?They were not even in Kebbi State as earlier reported by the media,? he added.

Matawalle emphasised that the military had dealt decisively with the bandits, forcing them to return to Mali. ?We have no Lakurawa in any part of the country,? he reiterated.

The Minister commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu?s efforts in fighting terrorism, calling on all Nigerians to support the administration.

He also applauded the President?s ongoing work to build a ?new Nigeria? through policies and programmes that benefit the country.

?I want to make it clear that the construction of the Zaria-Sokoto Road and the Illela-Badagry Road is one of the projects currently being carried out by the Tinubu administration,? Matawalle stated. ?The lifting of the ban on mining is another effort by Mr. President to develop the North.?

He described as unfair the claim in some quarters that Tinubu is working against the interest of the North.

?I don?t know why some people are criticising him and calling him anti-North. Forget about the negative propaganda of some people who are not wishing his administration well because of political differences,? he said. (The PUNCH)

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