The Nigerian military has launched a major assault on an Islamist militant camp in the country’s northwest, killing dozens of fighters and dismantling a key base used by the Lakurawa armed group.
Troops operating under Operation Fansan Yamma—a regional security task force—stormed the encampment in the remote Waria Forest of Sokoto State’s Tangaza district early Wednesday morning following a firefight. Military officials said soldiers advanced into the forested terrain at around 7:00 a.m. local time, engaging heavily armed militants two hours later. Superior firepower forced the insurgents to flee, leaving behind scores of casualties, alongside automatic rifles and motorcycles commonly used for swift cross-border mobility.Wednesday’s raid follows a series of running battles earlier in the week.
On Tuesday, troops encountered fierce resistance from hilltop positions in nearby Alela and Bilange forests before overrunning two separate insurgent hideouts. Soldiers destroyed camp structures to prevent the militants from regrouping in the area.
Security analysts note that the Lakurawa group—a militant faction that has exploited porous borders in the region—has increasingly posed a threat to rural communities across northwestern Nigeria.
The military has vowed to sustain offensive operations across Sokoto and neighboring states to sever militant supply lines, protect local populations, and restore stability to the wider region.
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