Lakurawa: Nigeria's newest armed group declared a terrorist organisation

The Lakurawa group has been accused of attacks on top government officials and kidnapping.

British Broadcasting CorporationWatch LiveHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsArts in MotionTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthVideoLiveAudioWeatherNewslettersNew Nigerian jihadist group declared terrorists1 day agoChris Ewokor & Mansur AbubakarBBC News, AbujaGetty ImagesSelf-defence groups have been formed to help fight militant groupsNigeria's authorities have officially declared the Lakurawa armed group - which flogs people for listening to music - a terrorist organisation and banned it across the country.

Lakurawa is a new militant group which carries out attacks, targeting local communities in north-western Nigeria and across the border with Niger.

Nigerian officials say Lakurawa is affiliated with jihadist factions in Mali and Niger, and its militants have for years settled in communities along the Nigeria-Niger border, marrying local women and recruiting youths.

This adds to Nigeria's security concerns, as it is already fighting against several armed groups, from Islamist militants Boko Haram to kidnapping gangs.

The Nigerian government submitted a document to a High Court in the capital, Abuja, on Thursday, detailing the activities of the group.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cqjvqe4n7gzo

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