The Federal Government has officially announced that Nigeria is now free from the Lakurawa terrorist group following a successful military offensive that forced the group to retreat into Mali. The announcement was made by Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, during a press briefing in Gusau, Zamfara State, on Sunday.

Matawalle confirmed that the Lakurawa group, which originated from Mali, no longer poses a threat to Nigeria, stating, “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 credited the Nigerian military’s robust offensive for dismantling the group’s networks and denying them a foothold in the country. This statement contradicts recent reports from Zamfara State Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Shehu Dalijan, who had linked Lakurawa to a series of explosive attacks in the region.

Matawalle dismissed these claims, clarifying that recent acts of violence were committed by unrelated criminal elements. He emphasized that the Lakurawa group never had a permanent presence in Nigeria and has now been completely driven out.

The Lakurawa group, which originated in Sokoto State in 2016 as a militia to combat banditry, evolved into a radical sect that enforced strict religious laws and recruited youths with financial incentives. The group expanded its violent activities, including a deadly raid in November 2024 in Kebbi State’s Augie Local Government Area.