A Federal High Court in Abuja has officially designated the Lakurawa sect as a terrorist organization and banned its activities across Nigeria.
Justice James Omotosho issued the ruling on Thursday, following an ex-parte application submitted by the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).
The court also extended the proscription to other similar groups operating in Nigeria, particularly in the North-West and North-Central regions. Justice Omotosho declared:
“The activities of the Lakurawa sect and similar groups in any part of Nigeria, especially in the North-West and North-Central zones, are hereby declared acts of terrorism and illegality.”
The judgment further prohibited any individual or group from engaging in or supporting the activities of the Lakurawa sect or any group with similar objectives.
These include acts such as banditry, ransom kidnapping, forced marriages, mass abductions, cattle rustling, enslavement, torture, and community attacks.
The ruling mandated the publication of the proscription in the Official Gazette and two national newspapers.
The AGF’s request for the proscription was presented by David Kaswe, an Assistant Director in the Federal Ministry of Justice, on behalf of the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation (DPPF), M. Abubakar.
The supporting affidavit, sworn by Michael Akawu, detailed the sect’s involvement in various acts of terrorism, including cattle rustling, kidnapping, attacks on government officials and security personnel, and efforts to undermine local authorities.
Akawu noted that these actions have resulted in significant harm, loss of lives, and destruction of property, posing a severe threat to national security and public order.
He argued that the Lakurawa sect met the legal criteria for designation as a terrorist organization under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act.
The court granted all four orders requested in the application, marking a decisive step toward combating the activities of the sect and similar groups across the country.