Report Uncovers How Terrorists Were Operating in Sokoto Before US Airstrike in Nigeria
- US strikes in Sokoto target Islamic State-linked camps, enhancing Nigeria's counter-terrorism efforts
- Local communities invited militant groups for security support, leading to escalating violence
- Sokoto's terrorism threat is fragmented, involving banditry, cross-border jihadists, and local grievances
A new security assessment has shed light on how terrorist groups operate in Sokoto state, following joint United States–Nigeria missile strikes on Islamist militants in the area on 25 December.
The strikes, ordered by US President Donald Trump and approved by President Bola Tinubu, targeted camps linked to Islamic State affiliates in north-west Nigeria.
Source: Original
Both governments described the operation as a “precision” effort aimed at degrading terrorist capabilities in Sokoto.
The Tinbu-led government has announced that it supported the operation by providing intelligence, while the United States carried out the strikes.
“President Bola Tinubu approved the operation based on intelligence cooperation with the United States,” Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar said.
How the joint operation was carried out
The United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) said the strikes focused on Islamic State-linked positions in Sokoto, marking one of the most significant foreign-assisted military actions on Nigerian soil in recent years.
“These strikes were designed to disrupt and degrade the operational capacity of designated terrorist groups,” AFRICOM said in a statement.
Nigerian authorities stressed that the action was limited, targeted and based on shared intelligence.
Islamic State’s evolving presence in Nigeria
Although the Islamic State suffered major setbacks after the killing of its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in 2019, experts say the group adapted by strengthening affiliates in Africa.
In Nigeria, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) emerged after Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau pledged allegiance to ISIS in 2015. Internal disputes later led ISIS to withdraw support from Shekau and back ISWAP, which is now mainly active in the North-east.
However, security analysts say the Sokoto threat differs significantly from that of the North-east.
Why terrorism in Sokoto is different
Unlike the structured insurgency in the North-east, terrorism in Sokoto and the wider North-west is more fragmented, involving cross-border jihadist elements and heavily armed bandit groups.
Militant leaders such as Bello Turji have carried out attacks on villages and highways, while groups like Lakurawa have operated across borders, exploiting weak security and local grievances.
“The terrorism threat in the North-west is not monolithic. It is a mix of banditry, jihadist influence and local conflicts,” a senior security analyst said.
Debate over Lakurawa’s true allegiance
Experts remain divided over whether Lakurawa is aligned with Islamic State or al-Qaeda-linked groups.
Source: UGC
A 2022 study by Murtala Rufa’i, James Barnett and Abdulaziz Abdulaziz linked Lakurawa to Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an al-Qaeda affiliate in Mali.
However, Mr Barnett later argued that shifting alliances may have drawn parts of the group closer to the Islamic State’s Sahel Province.
“Given the fluidity of jihadi alliances in the Sahel, some members may have shifted affiliation over time,” he said.
Others disagree. Malik Samuel, a senior researcher at Good Governance Africa, said there was no clear evidence of Islamic State ties.
“I haven’t seen any evidence suggesting there is a link to ISIS,” he said.
How local decisions helped the group grow
Research shows that Lakurawa fighters were initially invited into parts of Sokoto in 2017 by local leaders seeking help against bandits from neighbouring Zamfara State.
“They were invited to provide security to our communities,” a traditional ruler in Gudu Local Government Area told researchers.
Community support, including cash, livestock and logistics, allowed the group to expand. Violence escalated when the militants began enforcing radical rules and later killed one of the leaders who had invited them.
Civilians bear the brunt of the violence
The report highlights that farmers, villagers, women and children remain the primary victims of the violence in Sokoto, with communities facing killings, kidnappings and mass displacement.
While President Trump justified the strikes by claiming Christians were targeted, Nigerian officials and independent observers say insecurity affects people of all faiths.
“Insecurity in Sokoto is driven by multiple factors, including banditry, jihadist violence and weak state protection,” a Nigerian security official said.
The report concludes that without sustained security reforms and regional cooperation, militant groups will continue to exploit Sokoto’s fragile security environment, despite recent military action.
Source: Legit.ng
