Hundreds of Lakurawa fighters stormed Borgu communities during Friday prayers, opening fire on worshippers accused of following a rival jihadist faction. A disturbing video released by Lakurawa shows hundreds of kidnapped Muslims — infants, women, and elderly men — held in a forest clearing.
By Luka Binniyat
The Imams of Dekara District in Niger State aligned with the wrong jihadist bosses and on Friday, August 21 they paid the price, TruthNigeria has learned.
Hundreds of Lakurawa (“the recruits”) terrorists stormed into Borgu Local Government Area (County) of Niger State Friday dressed in military fatigues and ready to pray, but they had vengeance on their minds. After praying, the Lakurawa fighters pulled out their assault rifles and sprayed worshippers who had run afoul of true doctrine, according to Muslim News. The locals had dared to affiliate with the rival Caliphate-craving Jihadists who call themselves “Mahmuda.”
The Mamuda group is linked to Mallam Mahmuda and jihadist networks operating around the Kainji Lake/Kainji National Park area.
The EU Agency for Asylum describes Mahmuda as a relatively new jihadist organisation believed to have emerged from Boko Haram/Ansaru-related networks.
Meanwhile, a video has emerged, purportedly made by Lakurawa, showing hundreds of hostages in a bush with wailing infants, children, women and elderly men.
The Nigerian Police have confirmed that terrorists attacked Gidan-Zana and Kpenya villages in Dekara District, Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State, Central Nigeria, and abducted worshippers at a mosque during last Friday prayers.
Residents and local media reported that the attackers moved through Dekara, Sabon Gida, Masaka and neighbouring communities. The exact number abducted remains uncertain, but Monday’s video shows that their number is more than the 100 initially estimated.
TruthNigeria has also reported that more than 100 people were abducted and more than 40 killed, based on witnesses and local sources.
Mahmuda fighters confronted the Lakurawa attackers, according to media reports. The resulting clash reportedly allowed some villagers to escape.
A federal lawmaker, Jafaru Mohammed, who represents the area, confirmed that Binzi district in Borgu LGA was also attacked. He said numerous people were killed and many others were abducted and taken into surrounding forests, including areas toward Kainji Lake.
Territorial War Over Neglected Area
The villages raided by Lakurawa are located in the dusty no-man’s land of Western Niger State bordering Kwara State, Kebbi State and Benin Republic. It is a corridor traveled by jihadists and criminal gangs seeking gold, ransom and slaves anywhere they can find them, according to published sources.
“Borgu area is one of the most neglected areas in Niger State,” said Col. Danbaba Aliyu (rtd) of SignWell Security Consult, Abuja, to TruthNigeria on the phone from Abuja, Monday.
“Lakurawa were running that area since 2019 and had established their belief system on the population, which is largely made up of Muslims and traditional worshippers,” he said.
According to him, the terror group left for other areas, then Mamudawa came in 2025, killed and chased out the few Lakurawa left behind to guide the communities.
“Mamudawa has lots of locals, so it was easy for them to get acceptance, even though the ideology of the two Islamist groups is not radically different,” he added.
“As you have learned, Friday’s assault by Lakurawa was well organised, with hundreds of their fighters taking part.
“So the attack was a form of punishment on the community and also to spite Mamudawa,” he added.
“I can assure you that Mamudawa will go after the Lakurawa directly or also attack communities where Lakurawa have strongholds,” he added.
Shuaibu Adamu, a native of Dekara, confirmed the analysis of Aliyu.
“I was a teacher at Government Secondary School Dekara when Lakurawa started appearing in that area around 2018,” he told TruthNigeria in Kaduna, Monday.
“Then Mamudawa started appearing around 2024 and they were always clashing. Last year, Mamudawa claimed the area. Police and Army are very scarce in our area because of the forests, very bad roads, dangerous bandit groups and rivers,” he added.
“My older brother came in March this year and took us away, including our aged mother, wife and two children. That’s why I am in Kaduna now,” he said.
“The jackals have smelt blood, as Nigeria already has been brought to her knees by these predators with the collaboration of the Federal Government,” commented theologian and security expert Ladi Peter Thompson, author of “The Kingdom Gospel’s solution to the Boko Haram War,” to TruthNigeria. “The Lakurawa attack on the mosque should be properly interpreted for what it is. Two predators, Mamuda vs Lakurawa, fighting over who has the right to devour the prey.”
New Disturbing Video Surfaces
A video made by Lakurawa and posted on the X handle of SaharaReporters shows hundreds of hostages huddling up on green, lush open grass surrounded by medium-sized trees. The whimpering of several infants rents the air as a voice in the background spoke in the Hausa language.
“These are your people that you are watching now, men and women,” the speaker said concealing his face.
“Look at them. We got them by the grace of Allah.
“Everyone should carefully watch and find out if his brother is among them.
“Is your father or mother among them?
“Just watch and confirm if your relative is here.
“Just watch,” the voice said in the 56-second video.
Lakurawa Linked to ISSP
There is substantial evidence linking much of the present-day Lakurawa activity in northwestern Nigeria to Islamic State Sahel Province (ISSP). The Islamic State of Sahel (ISSP) draws fighters from several ethnic communities, including Fulani, Arab, Tuareg, Songhai and Djerma populations.
An Institute for Security Studies study similarly describes Lakurawa as a hybrid jihadist-criminal formation whose origins involve militants and self-defence groups from different countries. It reports that pressure on ISSP contributed to the movement of militants towards the Nigeria–Niger Republic border and that Lakurawa subsequently became associated with ISSP expansion into northwestern Nigeria.
Luka Binniyat writes for TruthNigeria on Politics and Conflict from Kaduna.
