The Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Security Services, DSS, have been urged to make the safety of the Sultan of Sokoto a matter of utmost priority.
The call was made by an Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) following recent reports that the new Lakurawa terrorist group is now operating in ten local government areas of Sokoto and Kebbi States.
In a statement on Saturday, the Founder and Executive Director of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola,
called for urgent proactive measures to ensure the safety of the Sultan of Sokoto Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar 111, in the face of the new threat posed by Lakurawa terrorists.
The statement read:
“Latest reports indicate that the new Lakurawa terrorist group is now operating in ten local government areas of Sokoto and Kebbi States .

“According to some reports, they have more than 10,000 active fighters. They burn shops, impose fines and remove Imams who cannot speak Arabic (
“We are all aware of the antecedents and modus operandi of terrorist groups in Northern Nigeria. They are known to have killed and kidnapped emirs, district heads and others. The Nigerian security agencies must prove their mettle by being proactive. We cannot afford any mishap around a distinguished personality like the Sultan of Sokoto.
“The twin status of Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar as the Sultan of Sokoto and President General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) makes his protection mandatory. It is a matter of national security. The security agencies must therefore make his person, family members, palace, convoy and entourage impregnable at all times.

“It is needless to reiterate the fact that as the leader of more than 130 million Nigerian Muslims, any untoward incident around the Sultan’s personality is capable of igniting unprecedented and unimaginable consequences.
“This is why the protection of the Sultan is not only mandatory but a sine qua non to peace in contemporary Nigeria. Terrorists may want to strike at the heart of the Sultanate to score a strategic point in contemporary relevance or to embarrass the security agencies and deride the Federal Government. We must not allow this to happen. To keep the Sultan safe is a task that must be done.”