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The Origin and Expansion of the Lakurawa Militia in Niger and Northern Nigeria
The Origin and Expansion of the Lakurawa Militia in Niger and Northern Nigeria
By: Our Reporter
The term Lakurawa originates from the Hausa word lakurawa, meaning “recruits.” It refers to young men undergoing military training for national service. The term itself challenges the theory that the group originated in an English-speaking country like Nigeria, as it is rooted in a French linguistic influence. The name also implies that these individuals were not just hastily trained militia members but had received structured training in formal state institutions.
The Lakurawa militia was formed in 1997 under the presidency of Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara in Niger. Its primary objective was to provide protection for pastoralist communities suffering from rampant cattle rustling, particularly in western Niger. At the time, armed bandits from Mali frequently crossed into Niger to raid livestock, leaving local herders vulnerable. Given the inability of the national army to provide security in remote areas, the government saw the need to create an auxiliary force.
To effectively combat the well-armed raiders, the Lakurawa militia underwent military training and received weapons to match their adversaries. The first training camp was established in Ekrafane, approximately 10 km from an official military detachment. The militia recruits quickly became known as Lakurawa.
Under Baré’s leadership, the Lakurawa successfully carried out several counteroffensives against the armed bandits. Their operations were so effective that the Malian raiders stopped crossing into Niger altogether. Those who did were relentlessly pursued and had their stolen livestock recovered. Encouraged by their success, President Baré expanded the militia program, establishing at least three additional Lakurawa training camps between Ekrafane and Banibangou.
Integration and Dismantling of the Lakurawa
Following Baré’s assassination in 1999, the Lakurawa faced an uncertain future. When Mamadou Tandja assumed power, he sought to integrate the Lakurawa into Niger’s National Guard. However, political disputes within his administration stalled the process. The then-Prime Minister, Hama Amadou, and the Minister of the Interior, Albadé Abouba, both members of the ruling party, disagreed on the fate of the militia.
Albadé reportedly ordered the disarmament and disbandment of the Lakurawa, despite opposition from Hama Amadou. Later, with the appointment of Mounkaila Modi as Minister of the Interior, Hama managed to halt the disarmament process. Instead, he established a second militia composed of recruits from Ouallam, using public funds.
The Lakurawa’s existence is well-known among military officers who served under both President Baré and Tandja. Many current members of Niger’s ruling junta, the CNSP (Conseil National pour la Sauvegarde de la Patrie), were involved in these militias between 1997 and 2012. Today, however, these officials remain silent, allowing the junta leader, General Abdourahamane Tiani, to shift blame while ignoring the militia’s long-standing impact.
The failure to properly integrate the Lakurawa into the national security structure had severe consequences. Many demobilized militia members disappeared with their weapons, forming independent armed groups. Some of these former Lakurawa later resurfaced in a more dangerous form.
From Government Militia to Jihadist Fighters
After the fall of Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 and the subsequent rise of insecurity in the Sahel, some Lakurawa fighters found a new purpose. In 2012, several of them joined the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO), a jihadist faction that fought against the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) in northern Mali. This marked a turning point, as former state-backed militiamen transitioned into extremist insurgents.
Expansion into Northern Nigeria
The Lakurawa’s trajectory changed again after France launched Operation Serval in 2013 to oust jihadist groups from northern Mali. Many MUJAO fighters, including former Lakurawa, were displaced and forced to relocate. Some of them moved further south, crossing into Niger’s border regions and eventually settling in northwestern Nigeria, particularly in Sokoto and Kebbi states.
Initially, these fighters were welcomed by local communities because of their strong stance against banditry and kidnapping. Their reputation as experienced fighters made them popular among rural populations suffering from insecurity. However, over time, their real intentions became clear. Their goal was not merely to fight crime but to establish an Islamic caliphate.
Unlike other militant groups, the Lakurawa avoided publicity. They did not claim responsibility for attacks or release propaganda. Instead, they blended into existing networks of transnational bandits operating across Nigeria and Niger. This strategy of concealment allowed them to expand undetected. However, as their influence grew, the Nigerian government took action.
In December 2024, Nigerian authorities launched a large-scale military offensive against Lakurawa strongholds. A combination of air and ground assaults led to hundreds of casualties among the group.
The Nigerien Junta’s Response
While Nigeria has deployed significant military resources to neutralize the Lakurawa, Niger’s ruling junta has taken a different approach. Instead of acknowledging the threat, General Tiani’s government has focused on political blame games, accusing Nigeria of interference while failing to confront the growing insurgency.
The Lakurawa are now linked to at least five sabotage attacks on Niger’s oil pipeline, as well as multiple incursions into villages in the Dosso and Tahoua regions. Despite these ongoing threats, the Nigerien leadership appears more interested in rhetoric than action, leaving the country increasingly vulnerable to further instability.
Conclusion
The Lakurawa militia’s history is a cautionary tale of how state-sponsored armed groups can evolve beyond their original purpose. Initially formed to protect pastoralists, they later fragmented into independent fighters, some of whom joined jihadist movements. Their expansion into northern Nigeria further complicated regional security, as they established a hidden presence among criminal networks.
Today, while Nigeria is actively working to dismantle the Lakurawa, Niger’s government remains passive, allowing the militia to continue operating freely. If left unchecked, the Lakurawa could further destabilize the entire Sahel and West African region, proving once again that militias created for short-term security solutions can become long-term threats.
The Origin and Expansion of the Lakurawa Militia in Niger and Northern Nigeria
Army Troops intercept cache of ammunition in commercial vehicle on Maiduguri–Kaduna road
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have intercepted a large cache of ammunition hidden in a commercial vehicle along the Maiduguri–Kaduna road.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that the troops deployed at a checkpoint in Nafada, en route to Gombe, discovered the consignment when the driver of the vehicle raised suspicion about a waybill package he was asked to transport.
Sources said that the driver was given a carefully wrapped bag in Maiduguri to deliver in Kaduna, along with the contact of the person who was to receive it.
The driver, who was unaware of the contents, became suspicious of the package and alerted soldiers at the checkpoint. Upon inspection, the troops discovered that the bag contained a large quantity of ammunition.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the consignment was linked to a soldier allegedly serving with Sector 2 in Damaturu, Yobe State. The sector has since been alerted to trace and arrest the suspect.
Security sources described the interception as a major breakthrough in efforts to cut the flow of arms fueling insecurity in the North-East and North-West.
“This is a disturbing development, particularly because of the alleged involvement of a personnel. The case is already under investigation to identify all those connected to it,” a source said.
The interception has once again brought into sharp focus the link between the arms trade and Nigeria’s insecurity. With the Maiduguri–Kaduna corridor serving as a major route, analysts warn that traffickers will continue to exploit unsuspecting drivers, commercial vehicles, and porous checkpoints unless stricter monitoring measures are enforced.
Army Troops intercept cache of ammunition in commercial vehicle on Maiduguri–Kaduna road
Irregular Migration: 7000 Nigerians Stranded in Libya, Says NIDCOM
By: Michael Mike
The Chairman of the Nigerian Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa has disclosed that about 7000 Nigerian immigrants are stranded in Libya.
She made the disclosure at the official launch of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), strategic plan for Nigeria, 2025-2027, in Abuja.
Speaking on Tuesday evening, Dabiri-Etewa said: “As we speak 7000 Nigerians are stranded in Libya. At this time and age people still travel by road.”
IOM Chief of Mission in Nigeria, Ms. Sharon Dimanche in her welcome address, stated that the IOM strategic plan for Nigeria was developed by Nigerians and owned by Nigerians.
She said: “We all sat together, led by the minister of humanitarian, budget and economic planning, at technical level, and went through our strategy. And why did we do that? Because for me, it was not about IOM.
“It was about you. That is why I came to this country, for us to sit and serve one another. So we reviewed our strategy, went into details, reflecting some of those priorities, and what we have here is a reflection of your own ideas, what you proposed, and led by your technical people that we sat together.”
She added that: “This is not just an IOM strategy for Nigeria, it is Nigeria’s strategy supported by IOM, developed through inclusive consultations and shaped by national priorities.”
She also used the opportunity to call on the federal government and all other stakeholders to support the full implementation of the strategic plan.
She said: “We are not just launching the strategy to leave it there, but I’m counting on each and every one of you to implement that strategy together, so that when we sit down three years, five years from now, we can hold each other’s accountable.
“We want to see that difference. And I’m counting on you for your support to make that difference.”
The Deputy Director IOM, Ugochi Daniels, in her goodwill message said, “I’m sure with this team and with the rest of the United Nation team here and the partnership with the government the road might be steep but we will get there.
“What I want to add to that is that the strategy that we are launching today is how we as IOM are translating in concrete terms our commitment in achieving the vision the national development aspirations of the federal government of Nigeria in partnership with all of you represented here and the organizations and states and at the federal level that you represent.”
She assured that, “it is my firm and concrete belief that when we gather again at the end of the strategy we will be able to celebrate not just the achievements from the strategy but the achievements of all of the states that are supported and the achievements of the federal government of Nigeria and the contribution IOM has had to make to this.”
The Minister of state Humanitarian Affairs, Yusuf Sununu, the Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, the Chief of Defense Staff, Gen Christopher Musa, representatives of Borno, Yobe, Abia, Bauchi and others pleged to support the implementation of the IOM strategic plan
Irregular Migration: 7000 Nigerians Stranded in Libya, Says NIDCOM
Nigeria, IOM Seek Greater Collaboration Against Irregular Migration
By: Michael Mike
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has said Nigeria is poised to forge better collaboration with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in tackling migration crisis,
This is as she attributed the spate of illegal migration of Nigerians to the country’s huge demography explaining that over 70 per cent of the nation’s population was under 40 and they needed employment.
The Minister expressed the willingness of the federal government when the Deputy Director-General (Operations) for the International Organisation for Migration, Ms. Ugochi Florence Daniels, paid her a courtesy visit in her office in Abuja.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu explained that Diaspora is one of the major planks of the President Bola Tinubu’s foreign policy approach comprising Democracy, Demography, Diaspora and Development, otherwise christened 4-Ds.
She highlighted the government’s focus on citizen diplomacy following its concern about the welfare of the over 17 million Nigerians in the diaspora, noting that Nigeria’s very vibrant diaspora plays very important role in the nation’s economy by driving development.
The minister while highlighting the contributions of millions of Nigerian migrants in diaspora, equally emphasised the need for IOM to promote positive narratives on migration, stating that the country has sustained campaign to dispel the myth about greener pastures which according to her was the driver of irregular migration.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu, therefore, acknowledged the longstanding cooperation between Nigeria and IOM in addressing concerns relating to vulnerable migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
She applauded IOM’s strategic direction to save lives and protect people on the move, drive solutions to displacement and facilitate pathways for regular migration.
The minister further acknowledged the recent assistance by IOM in responding to the severe displacement due to flooding in some parts of the country especially Niger State where it deployed a rapid response team to support data collection, conduct initial damage assessment and provide emergency shelter kits and non-food items packages to support up 1000 most vulnerable families.
In view of the financial challenges currently facing the Organisation, the minister highlighted the need to initiate and execute programmes that address existential needs of persons of concern to IOM, in line with national priorities.
Disclosing that the government was taking necessary measures to fulfil its financial obligation to IOM, she urged the Organisation to ensure harmonisation of activities with Ministries, Departments and Agencies and other International Organisations. She, then, urged that the body leverages its global status to engender novel financial partnership from non-traditional donors.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu further said that as part of the UN80 Reform Initiative, Nigeria was willing to host International Organisations/UN Operations that are relocating from Geneva or New York.
Currently, IOM Nigeria is implementing a programme titled: “Promoting Better Management of Migration in Nigeria” (PBMM), funded by the European Union to assist Government in the areas of Managing Irregular Migration through Immigration and Border Management, Migration Data, Policy and Labour Migration and Diaspora Mobilisation.
Earlier, the Deputy Director General of IOM, Ugochi Florence Daniels reassured the Organisation’s commitment to the government and people of Nigeria.
She said that Nigeria was number one in returns as no fewer than 70,000 irregular migrants had been returned to the country by the IOM while about 27,000 were reintegrated in the society through its Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration Programme (AVRR).
Daniels said the Organisation was dedicated to promoting humane and orderly migration for all migrants and accelerating the transformative initiatives to reach the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including the Africa Union’s Agenda 2063.
“We have a very comprehensive intervention in Nigeria. We count on your continued support for the work of IOM in Nigeria,” she said.
Nigeria, IOM Seek Greater Collaboration Against Irregular Migration
Army Troops intercept cache of ammunition in commercial vehicle on Maiduguri–Kaduna road
Irregular Migration: 7000 Nigerians Stranded in Libya, Says NIDCOM
Nigeria loses Consular General in Buea, Cameroon
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