BY ANKELI EMMANUEL, Sokoto
Reports from locals have indicated that the Sokoto state-based LAKURAWA terror group has reduced its recruitment incentive to either a cow or 500, 000 naira per individual.
A source from one of the most infested local government areas of the state said this was probably because of large number of idle available youths, coupled with the unbearably biting poverty that must have indicated interested.
“I can tell you confidently that, most of the locals are yet to see this group (LAKURAWA) as a terror sect because of the way they preach holiness and strict adherence to the tenets of Islam.
“Secondly, members of this group ensure that they practice justice amongst the locals. They adjudicate on issues with fairness. They collect taxes, levies and all other forms of prescribed payments and use same for the less privileged in the society,” the source said.
On speculations about the terror sect, LAKURAWA’s membership strength, the source said Nigerians should not underestimate their numbers by what is being reported on social media.
“See, honestly, this terror group has a huge membership. And as it is now, they are still recruiting more people on a daily basis.
“They have unimaginable members. Ranging from their informants, foot soldiers, preachers, those adjudicating on issues in the Sharia way, to their leaders.
“LAKURAWA has leadership structure that ensures bottom/top and top /bottom feedback mechanisms. They have funders and arms suppliers from outside the shores of this country using nomadic herders as the unsuspecting agents conveying these arms and ammunition.
“Initially, the LAKURAWA group was recruiting youths as cattle rearers for them with the promise of giving them one cow at the end of every year as compensation. Later the group began kidnaping for ransom and paying as high as a million naira to wiling converts with proceeds of their crimes. And lately, they have reduced the payment to half a million naira, allegedly because of high turnout of willing members.
“They allegedly have members in Kebbi, Zamfara and even Niger states as well as parts of Birnin Gwari in Kaduna state. They are a bunch of herders that have scattered to these places with this same ideology.”
Continuing, the source, who pleaded anonymity, said, following the recent clash between the security agencies and the group, they have now given orders that all locals within their areas of jurisdiction are to contribute a certain amount to appease them and that farmers are given a grace period of three weeks to harvest their produce and willingly bring to them a compulsory tithe out of whatever they harvest.
Expressing concerns over a possible spillover of the terror group to other local governments in Sokoto state, a local from Yabo local government said the group entered their town, fired gunshots and whisked away two persons.
He gave the names of those kidnapped from their homes in Yabo, headquarters of Yabo local government as Abubakar Umar Yabo and Malam Abba.
The spokesperson of the Sokoto state police command, Assistant Superintendent of Police, ASP Ahmed Rufai confirmed the development even as he responded to inquiry on the LAKURAWA recruitment’s monetary and livestock enticement.
According to the Police Spokesperson, ASP Ahmed Rufai, the issue of LAKURAWA is not an exemption from other security challenges, adding, however that the police was working in collaboration with force headquarters to address the ugly situation.
On the strategies being deployed, ASP Ahmed Rifai said, “You know, we cannot reveal all our plans but we are aware of, and on top of, the situation. And for the LAKURAWA recruitment process of using money and cows to entice greedy individuals, we are appealing to the general public to always avail us with useful intelligence that could help us overcome the threat,” ASP Ahmed Rufai stressed.
