According to a report by Arise News on Tuesday, December 30, 2025, the security landscape in Sokoto underwent a significant shift following a period of intense instability in 2018. Seeking a solution to persistent threats, local inhabitants reached out to an organisation called Lakurawa to bolster their communal safety.
Ferdinand Duruoha noted the motivation behind this decision, stating, “At a point in time in 2018, the people of Sokoto invited Lakurawa to come in and help protect them, help as vigilantes, and help discipline their children,” he said.
While the primary goal was to secure the region and foster better conduct among the youth, the dynamics of this partnership evolved unexpectedly. The group eventually moved beyond its original mandate of providing oversight and began operating with a high degree of autonomy, imposing its own regulations on the population. Duruoha detailed how this transition allowed the group to consolidate power and establish dominance over various sectors of the community.
The impact on the daily lives of residents became increasingly severe as the group’s influence grew. Reports surfaced of Lakurawa members seizing vital assets, such as agricultural produce and farm animals, from local families. Reflecting on the desolate state of the area’s economy, Duruoha mentioned that after spending several hours on the ground, he observed a total absence of livestock, suggesting that the environment had become entirely unsuitable for traditional animal husbandry.
This development in Sokoto serves as a stark illustration of the risks associated with a lack of formal state presence. When community-led or external vigilante groups fill a power vacuum, they may eventually supersede legitimate government institutions. This creates a double-edged sword where the struggle for order results in new challenges for both governance and the protection of private property.
To prevent such outcomes, security analysts argue that any involvement of independent security groups must be governed by strict boundaries and remain under the rigorous supervision of official law enforcement.
the Sokoto experience reveals that while the initial call for Lakurawa was born out of a genuine need for safety, the resulting complications offer a vital warning to other regions dealing with similar security dilemmas.
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