Nigeria’s Army Hits Lakurawa Base in Sokoto, But Can It Hold the Ground?

By Onibiyo Segun

TANGAZA, Sokoto State – Nigerian troops reportedly destroyed a Lakurawa terrorist camp in Waria Forest on Thursday, October 15, killing several fighters and recovering weapons and five motorcycles. But residents who heard gunfire fear the fighters may return. The test is whether communities can safely resume farming and trading without intimidation.

“I heard gunshots on Wednesday night into Thursday morning from the forest side. The soldiers came with vehicles. They went into the bush. We saw smoke later. They said they destroyed Lakurawa camp,” Alhaji Musa, a farmer in Tangaza, told TruthNigeria in a chat.

Musa welcomed the operation but feared the fighters could return.

“We are happy if the Army chased them. But we are still afraid. Last time they chased them in August in Kebbe, they came back and attacked the market”, Musa explained.

He went on to say, “Lakurawa has been here since last year. They tell us how to dress, they collect money. If the Army leaves the forest now, they will return.”

“My husband has not gone to the Tangaza forest side for three days because we heard Lakurawa ran but did not go far”, Aisha Dan-Birni, a Tangaza trader said. “They took our food before. If the Army has truly chased them, let them stay and protect market day.”

The accounts corroborate reports of gunfire and military movement but do not independently establish the number of fighters killed, weapons recovered or the destruction of the camp.

Troops Reportedly Destroy Camps 

Troops of the Joint Task Force North West, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, reportedly conducted the operation in Tangaza county (Local Government Area) to dismantle terrorist hideouts and deny armed groups’ safe havens, Sahara Reporters reported on October 15.

According to Sahara Reporters, Sector 2 troops advanced through enclaves near Alela, Bilange and Kandam villages toward Waria Forest, engaged the fighters and forced them deeper into the forest.

Troops pursued them before destroying camps and support structures. Weapons and five motorcycles were reportedly recovered, although the report did not provide a death toll or a detailed inventory of the weapons.

TruthNigeria confirmed that the operation took place in Tangaza forest on October 15. The reported casualty figures and equipment recoveries remain unverified by the eyewitness accounts.

Longstanding Lakurawa Foothold in Tangaza

Tangaza is not a new front. A November 2024 TruthNigeria investigation documented Lakurawa’s reported presence in five Sokoto local government areas: Tangaza, Gudu, Illela, Binji and Silame. The investigation examined the group’s recruitment, coercive rules and disputed links to militant networks in the Sahel.

Lakurawa is an Islamist terrorist group whose name is commonly translated as “the recruits.” The group has been associated with coercive religious enforcement and levies imposed on communities, while analysts have disputed the extent of its links to militant networks across the Sahel.

The latest operation follows an August 14 attack in Kebbe, when residents told TruthNigeria that Lakurawa fighters overran a military position before attacking shops and the general hospital. Four soldiers were reported killed.

There is no evidence establishing that the fighters involved in the Kebbe attack were the same individuals targeted in Waria Forest. But the incidents raise a critical question: is sustained military pressure weakening Lakurawa’s capacity to operate, or merely forcing its fighters to relocate?

‘The Test Is Territorial Influence, Not Body Count’ – Analysts Warn

“You must distinguish three things: destroying a camp, disrupting a fighting unit, and eliminating territorial influence. The Nigerian Army is good at first, average at second, weak at third,” Colonel Mudi Attaihiru told TruthNigeria.

He explained that, “destroying a camp could involve burning huts and recovering motorcycles and guns, but eliminating territorial influence would mean residents could farm, trade and move freely without paying Lakurawa levies or submitting to its demands.”

Attaihiru added that, “military gains should be measured by changes in residents’ daily lives, not only battlefield losses.” He proposed tracking whether levies continue, attacks decline, burned homes are rebuilt and displaced residents return. “These are benchmarks for assessing lasting security, not verified outcomes of the latest operation,” Attaihiru explained.

Dr. Murtala Ahmed Rufai, an insurgency historian at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto ranked Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) first and Boko Haram’s Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS) faction second in strength and territorial capacity. In a TruthNigeria report published October 14, Rufai described ISWAP as better able to sustain operations and control resources, while JAS remained dangerous despite losing territory and leaders.

Rufai did not numerically rank Lakurawa against the two factions. His assessment nevertheless offers a broader context for evaluating armed groups by their ability to sustain operations, control resources and exert influence over communities.

“Destroying Waria Forest camp is one thing; making residents feel safe again is another. Real security means farmers returning to their fields, traders reopening and families living without threats or levies”, Rufai texted to TruthNigeria.

“If Lakurawa still dictates how people dress, collects their money and controls daily life, the Army has destroyed a camp but failed to break the group’s grip on the community”, Rufai wrote in a text. 

Onibiyo Segun reports on terrorism and conflict for TruthNigeria.

Related