An intense clash is currently taking place between Lakurawa and the Islamic State Sahel Province in Gaidau forest, Illela Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
According to reports, ISSP visited Raka community in Tangaza earlier, prompting Lakurawa to act after being informed by informants. By the time Lakurawa fighters arrived, the ISSP men had left, but Lakurawa pursued and caught up with them this evening. Villagers in Gaidau are reporting heavy gunfire in the bush, and the community is in panic.
Over the past week, Lakurawa fighters intensified their search for ISSP members, moving from community to community demanding information. In one Tangaza community, leaders initially denied receiving any ISSP letter, but Lakurawa threatened to sack the entire community until the letter was produced.
The clash was inevitable given their overlapping operational areas. Lakurawa, no match for ISSP, appears determined to mark its territory and signal that the rapidly expanding group will not have free rein.
