Court proscribes Lakurawa sect as terrorists

Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja has officially declared the Lakurawa sect a terrorist organization.

The ruling followed an ex-parte application filed by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).

In his judgment, Justice Omotosho also extended the proscription to similar groups operating in Nigeria, particularly in the North West and North Central regions of the country.

He ordered that the activities of the Lakurawa sect and other similar groups in any part of Nigeria, especially in the North West and North Central regions, be declared acts of terrorism and illegality.

The court further proscribed the existence of the Lakurawa sect and similar groups across Nigeria, whether they operate collectively or individually under any name, directing that the order be published in the Official Gazette and two national newspapers.

Additionally, the court prohibited any person or group from participating in activities associated with the Lakurawa sect or its objectives, regardless of the name or platform under which such activities are conducted. It also outlawed all other groups in Nigeria with objectives similar to those of the Lakurawa sect.

These include acts such as banditry, kidnapping for ransom, forced marriages, mass abductions of schoolchildren and citizens, cattle rustling, enslavement, physical deprivation, torture, rape, sexual slavery, enforced prostitution, forced pregnancies, and other forms of sexual violence.

The Federal Government (FG), in its application, had sought these orders from the court.

David Kaswe, an Assistant Director in the Federal Ministry of Justice, moved the motion, which was originally filed on January 14 by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation (DPPF), Mohammed Abubakar.

In a supporting affidavit deposed by Michael Akawu, a litigation officer in the DPPF, the FG stated that the Lakurawa sect had engaged in acts of terrorism.

These included cattle rustling, kidnapping for ransom, hostage-taking, attacks on senior government officials and security personnel, dissemination of extremist ideology to local communities, and encouraging locals to defy constituted authorities in Nigeria.

The FG argued that there were sufficient grounds to classify the Lakurawa sect as a terrorist organization under the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act.

It emphasized that proscribing the group was in the best interest of national peace, security, and justice.

Troops of Operation Fansan Yamma destroyed 22 camps of the notorious Lakurawa group in December and killed several members in Sokoto State, while also recovering weapons and ammunition during their operations.