Lakurawa, a new insurgent group, operates mainly in Kebbi and Sokoto states in northwestern Nigeria, where the United States carried out strikes on Islamic State‑linked militants in December.

The new assaults mirrored previous Lakurawa raids in Kebbi, where armed groups hit small villages with simultaneous strikes to swamp local defences and force residents to flee, the report said.

The gunmen swept through villages in the remote border district, opening fire in what survivors described as highly organised, indiscriminate attacks.

The raid sent residents fleeing as gunmen stormed households. Security forces have moved into the area to protect communities, aid survivors and cut off the militants’ escape routes, with tracking operations under way, the report said.