Armed members of the notorious Lakurawa terrorist group on Sunday stormed several communities in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State, where they openly preached their extremist ideology and threatened residents with violent attacks if they refused to embrace their teachings, SaharaReporters has learnt.
Community sources told SaharaReporters that dozens of the terrorists arrived in the affected communities on motorcycles at about 4pm, carrying sophisticated weapons and moving unhindered from one settlement to another.
According to residents, the terrorists first visited prominent community stakeholders and traditional figures, where they delivered sermons and warned that communities rejecting their ideology would face deadly consequences.
“The terrorists came in large numbers on motorcycles. They were heavily armed and moved confidently from one village to another,” a resident told SaharaReporters.
“They gathered some community leaders and warned them to accept their ideology. They said any community that refuses to cooperate would be attacked.”
The affected communities were identified as Zugurma, Kulho, Soba and Adogon Malam, all within the Borgu axis of Niger State.
Residents expressed concerns that the terrorists operated openly for more than two hours without any intervention from security agencies despite repeated alerts to authorities.
According to multiple sources, the armed men displayed their weapons publicly in marketplaces and other crowded locations where thousands of residents reportedly gathered around them.
“They were carrying guns openly and moving freely in public places. They even went to markets where people were seeing them. Some residents were hailing them as if they were celebrities because nobody challenged them,” another source said.
Community members further alleged that policemen stationed in nearby communities abandoned their duty posts after receiving information about the terrorists’ presence.
“The police were informed immediately, but they left their positions and went into hiding because they were afraid the terrorists would attack them if they remained there,” a source said.
“For more than two hours, these terrorists controlled the area without any resistance.”
Residents said the incident has heightened fears across rural communities in Niger State, particularly due to the growing presence and movements of Lakurawa fighters in villages bordering Niger and Kebbi states.
The latest development comes amid increasing concerns over the activities of the group, which residents say often enters vulnerable communities under the guise of religious preaching before establishing influence and recruiting followers.
Several residents who spoke to SaharaReporters said the threats issued by the terrorists have triggered panic among villagers, many of whom fear a repeat of previous deadly attacks blamed on the group.
“They threatened that if people refused to listen to them, they would return and attack. People are afraid because we have seen what happened in other communities,” one resident said.
The Niger State Police Command spokesperson, Wasiu Abiodun, did not respond to calls or WhatsApp messages seeking comment on the findings.
In February 2026, suspected Boko Haram and associated jihadists carried out a massive and brutal massacre in the Woro and Nuku communities of Kaiama Local Government Area in Kwara State.
The coordinated attack on the communities followed their steadfast refusal to accept the extremist ideology and strict Sharia demands of the insurgents
While police and state officials officially reported at least 75 deaths, international observers and local leaders fear the total death toll exceeded 160, with many victims having their throats cut and hands bound.
The terrorists had previously preached in the area and attempted to force locals to reject the Nigerian constitution and embrace their strict interpretation of Islam. When the communities fiercely rejected the ideology, the militants returned to raid the villages, setting homes and shops on fire.
The massacre drew heavy outrage across Nigeria and the international community. The United States Mission in Nigeria and the Muslim World League issued statements condemning the barbaric violence and backing the Nigerian military’s escalated operations against terrorist cells in the region.