ENTITY

---

Referance Number

NLLKW-LAKURAWA

Entity Name

LAKURAWA SECT

Incorporation Number

Incorporation Date

3/6/2025 11:47:00 AM

Sanction Date

3/6/2025 11:44:00 AM

Record Date

3/6/2025 11:47:00 AM

Reason for Designation

Lakurawa is a terrorist faction operating as part of Jama’at Nusrat Al-Islam Wal Muslimin (JNIM), an extremist group active across Mali, BurkinaFaso, Benin, Niger, and the broader Sahel region. Since 2016, the group has infiltratedNigeria, establishing a presence in Sokoto and Kebbi States, particularly in Illela, Tangaza, Gudu, Binji, Silame, Augie, Kangiwa, and Argungu local governments. Justification for Designation:Terrorist Activities: Lakurawa engages in violent attacks, assassinations, and enforcement of radical Islamist rule, imposing strict governance oncommunities. Foreign Influence and Transnational Operations: The group consists primarily of foreign fighters from Niger and Mali, operating across porous borders. Recruitment and Radicalization: Members exploit socio-economic vulnerabilities, recruiting unemployed youth through financial incentives. Alternative GovernanceStructure: The group imposes extrajudicial administration, levying taxes, confiscatingproperty, and meting out punishments outside the legal framework. Funding andCriminal Enterprise: Lakurawa finances its activities through extortion, forced taxation(Zakat), cattle rustling, and ransom from kidnappings. Threat to National and Regional Security: Its affiliation with JNIM and similar groups heightens the risk of expandedterrorist networks and cross-border insurgency. Given the severity of its actions and the threat it poses to national security, thedesignation of Lakurawa as a terrorist group is essential to curtail its influence, disrupt its financial networks, and prevent further violence and instability in Nigeria and theWest African region.

Comments

Phone Numbers

Address

Aliases

- Jama’at Nusrat Al-Islam Wal Muslimin (JNIM)

Press Release

On 6th March, 2025, the Chairman of Nigeria Sanctions Committee (NSC) ontherecommendation of the NSC designated LAKURAWA SECT NLLKWas a terrorist group and terrorist financier and directs their addition to the Nigeria Sanctions List. Pursuant to the provisions of section 54 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, all financial institutions and designated non-financial businesses and professions are required to: a) immediately, identify and freeze, without prior notice, all funds, assets, and any other economic resources belonging to the designated persons and entities in your possessionand report same to the Secretariat of the Nigeria Sanctions Committee; (b) report to the Secretariat of the Nigeria Sanctions Committee, any assets frozenor actions taken in compliance with the designation, including attempted transactions; (c) immediately file a suspicious transactions report to the NFIU for further analysis onthe financial activities of such an individual or entity; and (d) report as a suspicious transactions report to the NFIU, all cases of name matching infinancial transactions prior to or after receipt of the Nigerian Sanctions List. (d) subsequently prohibit dealings with the designated persons and entities andtocontinue to check for transactions relating to the designated person or entity and theactions to be taken if funds or other assets or suspect transactions are discovered (e) note that this freezing obligation extends to: (i) all funds or other assets that are owned or controlled by the designated personor entity, and not just those that can be tied to a particular act, plot, or threat of terrorismor terrorism financing; (ii) those funds or other assets that are wholly or jointly owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by designated persons or entities; (iii) the funds or other assets derived or generated from funds or other assets ownedor controlled directly or indirectly by designated persons or entities; and (iv) funds or other assets of persons and entities acting on behalf of, or at the directionof designated persons or entities. (f) note that this asset freezing mechanism is a preventive tool to disrupt terrorist support and activity and it is incumbent on financial institutions and designated nonfinancial businesses and professions to comply with the asset freezing obligations, givingthe potential of both criminal and civil liabilities for non-compliance, as well as thereputational risks for financial institutions and DNFBPs of being seen to be in breachof the asset freezing mechanism. (g) All actions taken pursuant to this publication should be immediately communicatedtothe Secretariat of the Nigeria Sanctions Committee through info@nigsac.gov.ng

Narrative Summary

NLLKW-LAKURAWA SECT Reason for designation:Lakurawa is a terrorist faction operating as part of Jama’at Nusrat Al-Islam Wal Muslimin (JNIM), an extremist group active across Mali, BurkinaFaso, Benin, Niger, and the broader Sahel region. Since 2016, the group has infiltratedNigeria, establishing a presence in Sokoto and Kebbi States, particularly in Illela, Tangaza, Gudu, Binji, Silame, Augie, Kangiwa, and Argungu local governments. Justification for Designation:Terrorist Activities: Lakurawa engages in violent attacks, assassinations, and enforcement of radical Islamist rule, imposing strict governance oncommunities. Foreign Influence and Transnational Operations: The group consists primarily of foreign fighters from Niger and Mali, operating across porous borders. Recruitment and Radicalization: Members exploit socio-economic vulnerabilities, recruiting unemployed youth through financial incentives. Alternative GovernanceStructure: The group imposes extrajudicial administration, levying taxes, confiscatingproperty, and meting out punishments outside the legal framework. Funding andCriminal Enterprise: Lakurawa finances its activities through extortion, forced taxation(Zakat), cattle rustling, and ransom from kidnappings. Threat to National and Regional Security: Its affiliation with JNIM and similar groups heightens the risk of expandedterrorist networks and cross-border insurgency. Given the severity of its actions and the threat it poses to national security, thedesignation of Lakurawa as a terrorist group is essential to curtail its influence, disrupt its financial networks, and prevent further violence and instability in Nigeria and theWest African region.