The Lakurawa terrorist group is a relatively new but increasingly significant armed Islamist faction operating primarily in northwestern Nigeria, with limited spillover into neighboring Niger. The group has emerged in an environment characterized by chronic insecurity, long-standing rural banditry, porous borders, and weak state authority. Unlike conventional criminal gangs, Lakurawa demonstrates a clear ideological orientation, combining religious extremism with violent enforcement and territorial influence. Its rise reflects a broader trend in which jihadist ideas merge with local conflict economies, transforming bandit networks into insurgent-style movements.