In a troubling incident that has sparked unease among locals, an armed faction believed to be the Lakurawa group reportedly entered the town of Soba in Mashegu Local Government Area of Niger State and delivered sermons in mosques. The event was brought to light on Saturday via a social media post by security analyst Bakatsine.
According to Bakatsine’s account, the militants arrived shortly after the Maghrib prayer and proceeded to visit several mosques, where they convened worshippers to disseminate their beliefs and outline their objectives. The post detailed: “Last evening, inhabitants of Soba town in Mashegu LGA, Niger State, reported that Lakurawa operatives entered the community post-Maghrib and went from one mosque to another, assembling congregants to propagate their doctrine and clarify their intentions.”
This development has heightened anxiety regarding the group’s expanding sway and unrestricted movement across certain areas of the region. Bakatsine posed a critical question: “If armed outfits can conduct open outreach in communities, what does that imply about the success of security measures and government presence in those locations?”
As of now, no official response has been issued by security authorities concerning this matter.