At least 20 people have been killed in an attack by suspected terrorists in Kebbi State, northwest Nigeria, according to an intelligence report.
A confidential security document prepared for the United Nations and seen by AFP indicated that jihadists from the Lakurawa group attacked the Fesken Rafi community in Kebbi State’s Arewa district, near the border with Niger, “killing more than 20 victims.”
The report noted that the raid occurred a few days earlier but only came to public attention over the weekend after the Kebbi State Deputy Governor visited the affected area. No exact date was specified, and AFP said it had contacted police and other security agencies for comments.
The attack followed a period of relative calm, suggesting a resurgence of violence by the Lakurawa group. According to the report, the assault may have been intended to demonstrate the group’s capacity to carry out coordinated operations despite intensified military offensives.
In December, the United States military conducted airstrikes in parts of northwestern Nigeria.
The Nigerian government said the operation targeted fighters linked to the Islamic State group, the Lakurawa faction, and armed criminal gangs commonly referred to as bandits. While the U.S. reported significant militant casualties, Nigerian authorities said the operations had weakened the insurgents.
The motive behind the latest attack remains unclear.
However, recent weeks have seen increased attacks by jihadists and armed groups on farming communities, particularly targeting those who refuse to pay levies imposed for access to farmlands across northern and central Nigeria.
Despite ongoing military efforts, Lakurawa militants have remained active in border communities between Nigeria and Niger.
The report warned that the group’s activities could evolve into a “transnational threat” due to its multinational composition, which complicates counterterrorism operations.
Some analysts have linked the Lakurawa group to the Islamic State in the Sahel, active mainly in Mali and neighbouring Niger, although others remain sceptical of the connection.
The group, believed to have originated from Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, entered Nigeria in 2018 and established a presence in Kebbi and neighbouring Sokoto State. However, it became significantly more active from 2023, according to local officials.
Lakurawa fighters are said to operate from camps in the Tsauni forest, which straddles the Nigeria-Niger border, carrying out attacks, rustling livestock, and imposing taxes on local communities.
Last month, seven Nigerian soldiers were killed in an ambush by suspected Lakurawa militants in Sokoto State, near the Niger border, according to military and local sources.
Nigeria’s long-running jihadist insurgency, led primarily by Boko Haram and its rival faction, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), has left tens of thousands dead and displaced millions since 2009. (AFP)