Lakurawa wants a caliphate in the Sahel – Dr Rufa’i

A researcher with the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Dr Murtala Rufa’i, has raised an alarm that the aim of the foreign armed group Lakurawa is to establish a caliphate in the Sahel. Dr Rufa’i also disclosed that the group has been planning to establish their own caliphate for over 25 years now. Speaking in a […]

A researcher with the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Dr Murtala Rufa’i, has raised an alarm that the aim of the foreign armed group Lakurawa is to establish a caliphate in the Sahel.

Dr Rufa’i also disclosed that the group has been planning to establish their own caliphate for over 25 years now.

Speaking in a radio programme “Fadi Miji” aired by one of the local FM stations, Rufa’i said there was no specific place where Lakurawa which he said did not have more than 250 members had made their camp.

“They are always on the move using their motorcycles. So, anyone who told you this is where they are based is lying,” he said.

Dr Rufa’i, a history lecturer and publisher of the book “I am a bandit”, an outcome of his research in banditry, also noted that the group has between 1500 and 1800 followers, including Ulamah and youth in Tangaza and Gudu axis which he said was the ancestral home of the Lakurawa leaders.

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He noted that since their re-emergence between December, 2023 and 2024, their activities spread to 10 local government areas which include Tangaza, Gudu, Illela, Gwadabawa, Kware, Silame, Binji in Sokoto State and Augie and Kangiwa in Kebbi State.

He also explained that Lakurawa is a Malian-based group that has been propagating religious tenets. “They were known in the Sahel as Jama’atu Muslimina. Its members cut across different tribes and sects. There are Hausa, Fulani, Toureq, Barebari and other tribes that were not yet known.

“They are after Jihad because they want to establish their own caliphate. It is not a new group even in Nigeria and Niger Republic. It has been in existence for 25 years. Even in Nigeria it has been here for eight years,” he said.

He said the leader of Lakurawa,  Ahmadu Kofa’s ancestors were originally Nigerians, a community called Kofa under the old Kebbi  empire which he said outlived the Sokoto caliphate.

“He is from Kofa. He has siblings like Ibrahim Kofa, Umar Kofa. They are presently in part of Mali, but their ancestors were Nigerians, from the Kebbi empire.”

“Their parents and grandparents like Umar Kofa and Sa’idu Kofa had all acquired their religious knowledge in a place called Balle, the present headquarters of Gudu local government.

“These places (Tangaza and Gudu) are historic places going by the history of Sheikh Usman bin Fordiyo, the founder of Sokoto caliphate. When there was misunderstanding between him (Bin Fordiyo) and the Gobir Kingdom, he migrated from Dagel to Gudu where he stayed and continued his preaching for some time.

“In those areas, there were renowned Islamic scholars at the time and that was the reason Kofa’s family came, stayed and studied there.

“So the present lakurawa’s leaders are aware of this history. They know they have a strong link with These areas. This could be the reason why they came back again to look for more followers,” he said.

He added that this was not the first visit of the group to Sokoto, explaining that the first was at the heat of banditry in Tangaza and Gudu areas where leaders of these communities met and decided to hire them so that they could help clear bandits from the area.

“But this time around they are in the area as part of their membership drive,” he alleged.

He noted that the group was luring locals with money, farm inputs and pumping machines, adding that some of the locals joined the group because of hunger.

“I interviewed the people that are slaughtering and butchering animals for Lakurawa who said they have a lot of livestock which they feed from,” he said.

He however, described them as criminals who were hiding under religious umbrella to commit a lot of atrocities.

“They are into kidnapping, rustling and other criminal activities,” he alleged.