Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court Abuja has designated the Lakurawa sect as a terrorist group, following an ex parte application filed by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).
Justice Omotosho issued a verdict that also prohibited similar groups from operating in Nigeria, particularly in the country’s North West and North Central areas.
“It is now ordered that the Lakurawa Sect and other similar groups’ operations in any region of Nigeria, particularly in the Northwest and North Central Regions, be declared acts of terrorism and illegality.
“That an order is hereby made prohibiting the existence of the Lakurawa and other similar groups in any part of Nigeria, particularly in the Northwest and North Central Regions of Nigeria, whether in groups or as individuals, and publishing the same in the Official Gazette and two (2) National Dailies.
“That an order is hereby made proscribing any person or group of persons from participating in any manner whatsoever in any form of activities evolving or concerning the prosecution of the collective intention or otherwise of the Lakurawa under any other name or platform however called or described.
“That an order is hereby made proscribing ali other groups in Nigeria by whatever name called with similar objectives as the Lakurawa, which include but are not limited to banditry, kidnapping for ransom, kidnapping for marriage, mass abduction of school children and other citizens, cattle rustling, enslavement, imprisonment, severe deprivation of physical liberty, torture, rape, sexual slavery, enforced prostitution, forced pregnancy, other forms of sexual violence, attacks and killings in communities, and wanton destruction of lives and properties in Nigeria,” the court held.
In the ex parte application, FG asked the court for four orders.
Mr. David Kaswe, an Assistant Director in the Federal Ministry of Justice, moved the motion, which was initially submitted on January 14 by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation (DPPF), Mr. Mohammed Abubakar.
In a supporting affidavit deposed to by Mr. Michael Akawu, a litigation officer in the Department of Public Prosecutions of the Federation (DPPF), the federal government told the court that the Lakurawa sect/group had been involved in acts of terrorism, including cattle rustling, kidnapping for ransom, hostage-taking, attacks on top government officials, attacks on security personnel, and propagation of their ideology to the local communities, encouraging the locals to join their cause.
The FG contended that it had reasonable reasons to assume that the Lakurawa sect met the criteria for being designated as a terrorist group under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act.
It informed the court that proscription of the sect would be in the best interests of justice, peace, and security in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
