The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has raised an alarm over the emergence of the deadly Lakurawa in the North-West states of Kebbi and Sokoto, lamenting that the new terror group has compromised the safety of the Igbo communities in the affected states.
In a statement on Tuesday by its Secretary General, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, the Igbo organisation noted that the terror group poses grave danger to Igbo traders in Kebbi State, stressing that the body had received numerous accounts detailing the perilous circumstances faced by its people, whose economic activities had been drastically curtailed due to the menacing presence of Lukurawa.
The Igbo apex organisation urged the Federal Government to crush the group, warning that the imminent threat is not just to the fabric of local governance, but more critically, to the lives and livelihoods of Igbo compatriots who reside in the region.
He stayed, “These terrorists now act as self-appointed adjudicators, meddling in the administration of justice and conducting illegal trials under the guise of traditional leadership. This flagrant usurpation of power is an affront to the rule of law and cannot be allowed to continue unchallenged.
“In light of these distressing developments, the safety of Igbo communities in Kebbi is gravely compromised. We have received numerous accounts detailing the perilous circumstances faced by Igbo traders, whose economic activities have been drastically curtailed due to the menacing presence of Lukurawa.
“Reports of forced robberies of goods and, tragically, the death of Igbo citizens among the casualties of Lukurawa paint a dire picture that we can no longer ignore.
“History has shown us that if swift and decisive action is not taken, the progenitors of terror can swiftly transform into entrenched, multifaceted organisations with transnational reach, wreaking havoc on innocent lives and destabilising entire regions.
“We hereby urge President (Bola) Tinubu to take the necessary measures to mobilise all essential resources and coordinate with the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to ensure that both strategic and tactical military actions are geared towards annihilating Lakurawa promptly.”
