At least 15 people were killed during a violent clash between residents of Mera community and members of the newly identified terrorist group, Lakurawa, in Kebbi State.
The conflict occurred on Friday in the Augie Local Government Area, near the rural Mera settlement.
Lakurawa, which allegedly has ties to ISIS affiliates operating in the Sahel region, has been increasingly active in parts of Kebbi, raising serious security concerns.
According to a report from BBC Hausa, the confrontation began when Lakurawa members encountered a local herder and attempted to steal his livestock.
The herder managed to escape and ran to the Mera community, where he raised the alarm, calling on his neighbors for help. Community members mobilized and tracked the terrorists, resulting in a fierce skirmish.
“The herder ran to the community and raised alarm, and community members marched to the location where they engaged the terrorists in a fight which led to the killing of 15, while many were injured,” a source informed BBC Hausa.
Local residents succeeded in neutralizing several terrorists and wounding others, but those who survived managed to retreat, carrying away their dead and injured.
“The locals succeeded in killing some of the terrorists and injured others. But the survivors among the terrorists carried their casualties and left,” the eyewitness recounted.
In response to the tragic loss of life, the Deputy Governor of Kebbi State visited Mera to offer condolences, accompanied by the Commissioner of Police and the Emir of Argungu.
Officials acknowledged the gravity of the situation, with the Deputy Governor pledging further security measures to prevent future attacks.
The media aide to Kebbi State’s Governor, Abdullahi Idris Zuru, later confirmed the emergence of the Lakurawa group in the region.
Speaking on Saturday, he assured residents that authorities were implementing strategies to contain the group’s activities and mitigate the threat they pose to peace and stability in Kebbi.
