Martins Olasehinde
Three police officers were reportedly killed by terrorists in the Republic of Niger Republic
The attack reportedly took place late Sunday night, December 23, 2024, when heavily armed assailants linked to the Lukurawa terrorist group – stormed a police post in Goumki, a locality in Yelou commune, Gaya department, Dosso region.
Zagazola Makama, a security and counter-insurgency expert in the Lake Chad area – reported that the attackers swiftly overwhelmed the officers before retreating.
While no official claim of responsibility has been made, the Lukurawa group, known for its violent activities in border regions, is strongly suspected of being behind the assault.
Police in Nigeria’s northwestern state of Sokoto, had in November, announced the emergence of Lakurawa, a newly formed Jihadist group, imposing taxes and levies on communities in the state.
The heavily armed Lakurawa Islamic preachers were operating in five local government areas of the state namely Tangaza, Gudu, Ilela, Silame and Binji.
Authorities and residents of the affected areas expressed deep concerns over the presence of the Islamic preachers, many of whom were believed to be foreigners.
They were reported to have set up bases in the affected local government areas, moving from community to community and preaching against western civilization and democratic system of government, similar to the ideology of Boko Haram terrorists.
Sokoto State Deputy Governor Idris Muhammad Gobir had said that the “majority of the members of the new Islamic sect are from the Sahel countries of Mali and Niger Republic”.
Residents said the terrorists imposed strict Islamic laws, luring young people into the fold with business capital and were also collecting taxes and levies,
“During sermons, they’ll tell us they don’t recognize the Nigerian government and its security forces,” a local had said.
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