MIRIAM NNOLI 
U.S. Navy Adm. Christopher W. Grady, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, meets with General Christopher Musa, Chief of the Defense Staff of Nigeria, at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., January 19, 2024. (DOD photo by Staff Sgt. Alexander Nieves)
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) on Thursday confirmed the emergence of a new terrorist group known as ‘Lukarawas’ in the North-western part of the country.
The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Edward Buba confirmed the development while briefing newsmen on military operations at the headquarters.
Buba said the new terror group originated in the Republic of Niger after the recent coup, which disrupted military cooperation between Nigeria and Niger.
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He further noted that the terrorists began infiltrating northern areas of Sokoto and Kebbi States from the Niger Republic and Mali, particularly following the coup in Niger.
According to him, joint border operations with Nigerien security forces, previously in place before the coup, had kept the terrorists at bay.
He said, “The terrorists took advantage of the gaps in cooperation between both countries and exploited difficult terrains to make incursions into remote areas in some north-western states to spread their ideology
“The terrorists were initially welcomed by locals who believed they had good intentions. However, the movement was not reported to the military and security agencies.
The DHQ spokesperson assured that troops have sustained Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) efforts to degrade the terrorists.
