Suspected members of the terror group, Lakurawa, have launched a series of deadly attacks in the Dosso region of Niger Republic, killing seven people, including a village chief’s representative.
The incident was disclosed on Wednesday by Zagazola Makama, a counter-terrorism expert focusing on the Lake Chad Basin, via his X (formerly Twitter) handle. Makama reported that the village of Gueza in Dioundiou was targeted twice within a few days.
“Five villagers were strangled to death by the militants during the first attack,” Makama stated, adding that the group later returned and killed two more individuals, including the village chief’s representative and a local father.
According to local sources cited by Makama, the violence stemmed from a personal dispute involving a Lakurawa leader who had sought a local woman. When the woman’s father sent her away to live with relatives following warnings from the village chief’s representative, the militants retaliated.
“Enraged by the woman’s relocation, the militants carried out the second attack in an act of vengeance,” Makama explained.
The Lakurawa group is reportedly rooted in pastoral communities across Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. The attacks are part of the group’s ongoing campaign of violence, which has escalated tensions in the region.
This development follows recent warnings about the group’s growing influence, despite its reported membership being under 200 individuals. Security agencies across the Sahel are under pressure to respond effectively to the rising insurgency.
Local authorities and security experts are urging for swift action to prevent further escalation of the conflict in the already volatile region.
