Security analysts concerned as Nigeria warns of new terror group

Abuja, Nigeria — 

Nigerian information analysts are voicing concerns aft defence officials connected Thursday warned of a caller insurgent radical known arsenic the Lakurawas, operating chiefly successful the country's northwestern region.

Authorities said the radical originated from the Sahel region, peculiarly Mali and Niger, aft past July's coup successful Niger disrupted associated subject patrols on the Nigerian border.

Nigerian defence officials announced the find to journalists successful Abuja connected Thursday and called for heightened vigilance.

Major General Edward Buba, the defence spokesperson, did not supply details connected whether the radical had carried retired immoderate large attack, but section media study the radical has been collecting cows from locals successful speech for "protection."

The maneuver is commonly utilized by extremist groups to exert power and concern their operations.

Lakurawas infiltrated northwest Sokoto and Kebbi states from neighboring Niger and Mali pursuing past year's coup, which severed ties betwixt Nigeria and Niger and disrupted associated determination information patrols.

Buba said information forces are tracking the group's activities.

"It is, indeed, the archetypal effort of the Sahelian jihadists to person a foothold successful our country. They were kept astatine bay each this while, erstwhile we had associated cross-border operations with the Republic of Niger. They took vantage of the breakdown successful practice betwixt some countries, which has present been restored. We cognize precisely wherever they are," Buba said.

The ideology of the caller radical is not yet known.

However, its emergence signals a increasing menace successful northwest Nigeria, already challenged by attacks by equipped gangs and kidnappings for ransom.

Nigeria has been struggling with prolonged insurgency by Boko Haram — a radical opposed to occidental acquisition successful bluish Nigeria.

In October, Nigeria’s subject said it killed immoderate 160 insurgents, arrested much than 80 and freed scores of captives.

Security expert Senator Iroegbu said helium is disquieted but not amazed by quality of the caller group, fixed that determination bloc ECOWAS, chaired by Nigeria's president, sanctioned Niger aft the coup past year.

"We saw this coming erstwhile the Niger coup happened, particularly withdrawal from ECOWAS membership,” Iroegbu said. “Severing ties with ECOWAS does not mean that we should not person bilateral agreements intact. Even if we sever the narration successful different [levels] ... possibly astatine the diplomatic level, but astatine the information oregon quality level [it] should not beryllium thing that we should play with."

Iroegbu said the group’s emergence is going to person a antagonistic interaction connected Nigeria's security.

"We should not downplay the value of this thing. It's going to drain the scarce resources we person already. All the security, bilateral agreement, quality corporation, information corp should beryllium strengthened adjacent more," Iroegbu said.

In August, Nigeria's main of defence unit visited Niger successful a bid to fortify subject ties and determination security.

Buba said authorities and information forces are moving to code the contented and support citizens from the Lakurawas group.