- Victims were killed during a confrontation as the assailants attempted to flee
- The Lakurawa group emerged after the July 2023 coup in Niger and is linked to Islamist insurgencies
- Nigeria's federal court declared the Lakurawa group a terrorist organization in January 2025
Sixteen people were killed during a clash between local security forces and suspected Lakurawa insurgents who had raided villages in Kebbi, a northwestern state of Nigeria, according to police and residents on Monday. The Lakurawa group, which emerged from herding communities near the Nigeria-Niger border following the July 2023 coup in Niger, is linked to Islamist insurgencies.
Nigeria is also facing an ongoing insurgency in the northeast, primarily driven by Boko Haram and its offshoot, the Islamic State West Africa Province.
According to Kebbi police spokesperson Nafiu Abubakar, the attack took place on Saturday evening when the gunmen targeted the villages of Tungan Taura and Tungan Ladan. The assailants reportedly rustled cattle, and during a confrontation while trying to flee, 16 people were killed. The police have deployed additional tactical units to track down and apprehend the perpetrators.
A Kebbi resident, Abubakar Augie, said the Lakurawa group raided local villages and stole cattle. The group opened fire when villagers attempted to stop the assailants.
In January 2025, a Nigerian federal court declared the Lakurawa group a terrorist organization, which permits the military to use maximum force against it.
