Nigerian Army kills two jihadists, recovers weapons in northwest

Nigeria's Army has announced the successful elimination of two jihadists belonging to the Lakurawa group in the northwestern state of Kebbi. The operation, which took place on Saturday, was prompted by reliable intelligence indicating the terrorists were planning an attack on the Sabarumawa community.

According to a statement released on social media platform X, troops from the Seventh Intervention Battalion of the Army's Chief of Staff executed a tactical ambush along the suspected route of the terrorists. Following an intense firefight, the jihadists were repelled, and the military seized a substantial cache of arms and ammunition, including AK-47 rifles, magazines, 143 rounds of ammunition, and a motorcycle.

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The successful operation was carried out after receiving reliable information from intelligence services indicating that the terrorists were planning an attack against the community of Sabarumawa.

The Lakurawa group is reportedly affiliated with the Islamic State-Sahel Province (ISSP) and has been active in the northwestern Nigerian states of Kebbi and Sokoto. Meanwhile, the northeastern part of the country continues to grapple with violence from the jihadist group Boko Haram since 2009, and its splinter faction, the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP), which emerged in 2016. These groups aim to establish an Islamic state in Nigeria, a country divided between a Muslim north and a Christian south. The conflict has resulted in over 35,000 deaths and displaced approximately 2.7 million people, according to government and UN data.

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The troops of the Seventh Battalion of Intervention of the Chief of Staff of the Army mobilized to the area and set up a tactical ambush along the suspected advance route of the terrorists.