File photo: Lakurawa fighters
Military airstrikes conducted by the United States in December 2025 reportedly killed at least 155 Lakurawa terrorists in Sokoto State, according to a report by The New Humanitarian.
The report claims that an additional 200 Lakurawa fighters were declared missing in the week following the operation, suggesting severe disruption to the group’s structure and operations.
The strikes, Daily Sun reports, were reportedly carried out in collaboration with Nigerian authorities and involved Tomahawk missiles launched from a US Navy destroyer stationed in the Gulf of Guinea.
According to the report, the missiles targeted three local government areas in Sokoto State — Isa, Tangaza and Tambuwal. Of the three, Tangaza is widely recognised as a stronghold of the Lakurawa group. Isa is known as a bandit enclave largely controlled by Bello Turji, while Tambuwal is not generally associated with organised armed violence.
Details of the strike on Isa remain unclear, but Bello Turji is believed to have survived the attack. However, a Lakurawa camp in Tangaza reportedly suffered devastating losses.
The New Humanitarian disclosed that two missile strikes were carried out. The first strike reportedly killed about 30 fighters. As survivors gathered to assess the damage and assist the wounded, a second missile struck the same location, killing many more.
In total, an estimated 155 Lakurawa fighters were killed, including 19 who later died from injuries sustained during the attack.
A senior Lakurawa commander, Dando Sibu, reportedly survived after leaving the location less than five minutes before the second missile strike.
In the aftermath, the group was said to have lost nearly half of its cattle, a critical source of revenue, further weakening its operational capacity.
Despite the heavy losses, Lakurawa fighters reportedly launched a major retaliatory attack on Birnin Yauri in Kebbi State on 31 December, killing at least 21 civilians, with nine reportedly beheaded, during a raid that lasted several hours.
The report noted that the US operation specifically targeted Lakurawa and did not affect other jihadist groups, including Boko Haram and the al-Qaeda-linked Ansaru.
