Some indigenes of Sokoto State indicate that the new terrorist group identified as ‘Lakurawa‘ is alleged to have lowered its recruitment incentive to either a cow or N500,000 per individual.
The incentive is said to be a response to the economic hardship faced by the community, with many idle minds and unbearable poverty making the offer more attractive.
The source from one of the most affected local government areas revealed that the group’s reduced incentive is a desperate measure to lure new recruits.
He said: “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 ensures that they practice justice amongst the locals. They adjudicate on issues with fairness. Collects tax, levies and all other forms of prescribed payments and use same for the less privileged in the society.”
On speculations about the terror sect, LAKURAWA membership strength, the source said Nigerians should not underestimate their number by what is been reported on social media.
”See, honestly, this terror group have a huge membership. And as it is now, they are still recruiting more on 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 have leadership structure that ensures bottom/top and top /bottom feedback mechanisms. They have funders and arm suppliers from outside the shores of this country using nomadic herders as the unsuspecting agents of 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 kidnapping for ransom and paying as high as a million naira to wiling converts with proceed of the crime. 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 part of Birnin Gwari in Kaduna state. They are 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 grace period of 3 weeks to harvest their produce and willingly bring forth the compulsory tithe out of whatever gotten.
Expressing concerns over a possible spill of the terror group to other local governments in the state, a local from Yabo LGA, said the group entered their town, fired gunshots and whisked away 2 persons.
He gave the names of those kidnapped from their homes in Yabo, headquarters of Yabo local government to included: Abubakar Umar Yabo and Malam Abba.
The spokesperson of Sokoto State Police Command, Assistant Superintendent of Police, ASP Ahmed Rufai, confirmed the development even as he responded to inquiry on the LAKURAWA recruitment monetary and livestock enticement.
According to him, the issue of LAKURAWA is not an exemption from other security challenges, he added however that, the police is in collaboration with force headquarters to address the ugly situation.
On the strategies being deployed, ASP Rifai said: “You know, we cannot reveal all our plans but we are aware 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”, he appealed.