The General Headquarters of Defense said on Thursday that they are looking for nine more terrorists.

Unlike previous statements, these people were named without the inclusion of a reward.

The wanted terrorists are Abu Khadijah, Abdurrahman, Dadi Gumba, also known as Abu Muhammed, Usman Kanin Shehu, Abu Yusuf, Musa Wa’a, Ibrahim Suyeka, BA Sulhu and Idris Taklakse.

The DHQ also confirmed the emergence of a new terrorist group known as the “Lukarawas”. The group is mainly based in the north-western part of Nigeria.

Director of Defense Media Operations, Gen. Edward Buba disclosed this while briefing journalists on military operations in Abuja.

Buba explained that the new terrorist group emerged from Niger Republic following the coup that led to the breakdown of military cooperation between Nigeria and Niger.

Terrorists started infiltrating the northern parts of Sokoto and Kebbi states, primarily from Niger Republic and Mali, especially after the Niger coup.

He said that before the coup, there were joint border operations with the Nigerian security forces which kept the terrorists at bay.

“This new group that entered the northwestern part of the country, known as the Lukarawas, is affiliated with ISIS in the Sahelian region. It is indeed the first attempt by Sahelian jihadists to establish a foothold in our country.

“As I mentioned earlier, they were kept at bay while we had joint cross-border operations with Niger Republic. However, after the coup in Niger, they exploited the breakdown in cooperation between the two countries, which has now been restored. They took advantage of this failure to make incursions through difficult terrain in remote locations on the outskirts of the northwestern part of our country, including some of those states.

“We know exactly where they are when they talk to you. Now what are the problems? When they arrived, the locals recognized that they had foreigners in their midst. Recognizing this, the appropriate course of action would have been to alert the authorities.”

Buba criticized residents of the North West for harboring terrorists and not reporting their movements to the army and other security agencies.

“They embraced them, believing they would protect them from terrorists or other threats, allowing them to establish themselves and spread their ideology. After they established themselves and gained a foothold, they began to tax the people. Only then did the locals feel the need to let us know.

“This is not the time to announce. You should report immediately when you see anything strange. Winning this war without the support of the people is impossible. They came in the same way as Boko Haram. They tell men to grow long beards, women to wear hijab, and enforce other such practices.

“I’m easy to spot because of these traits. I continue to urge Nigerians to help us help you. Now that we know where they are, we find them and eliminate them.”

He assured that troops supported intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance efforts to degrade terrorists.

Buba added that the terrorist group continued to exploit vast, under-governed areas to hide, evade troops and harass locals.
According to him, the troops are locating and eliminating the threat.