Lakurawa terrorists have taken over traditional rulers’ roles in communities –Bukarti

Human rights activist, Audu Bulama Bukarti, says members of the newly identified terror group, Lakurawa, have taken over the duties of traditional rulers in some communities in Sokoto State, serving as mediators among locals.

Bukarti stated this during an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today on Monday.

He said the group had been in Nigeria for six years, saying “they are potentially dangerous.”

Bukarti said, “You know Boko Haram became a transnational terror group and nothing was done until after it had operated for many years. And had gathered experience, arms and money through kidnapping and other terrorism activities.

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“This one is not up to the level of Boko Haram in terms of sophistication, lethality, experience and connection. But they are potentially very dangerous.

“You can’t travel five kilometers in one local government in Sokoto State without encountering Lakurawa on your way. All the villages surrounding the local government headquarters are under the control of Lakurawa.

“As we speak, they are serving as judges for local people. If you have a local problem, a dispute with your neighbour, you report to them because they have forbidden traditional rulers from intervening in any dispute that is brought to them. Traditional rulers have no option but to obey them because they will kill them if they don’t obey their instruction.

“If farmers have their farms encroached by herders, they report to Lakurawa. And Lakurawa summon the parties, adjudicate the dispute and order compensation against those they found wanting.”

Also, the publicity secretary of Arewa Consultative Forum, Professor Tukur Muhammed Baba, said that the group constitutes a great threat to national security.

He added that the terrorists wanted to establish an alien justice administration system in the communities.

Baba said, “I have been talking to community leaders. This is a major and great threat to national security. They are trying to establish an alien justice administration system in these communities.

“We cannot have that. If you’re talking of Islamic law, Sokoto  State has been running Shari’ah law. But these people are not practicing Sharia law. They intervene in disputes, impose trade codes and the fear is that they may go into other things such as closing schools and clinics.”