Emergence of a New Terrorist Group "Lukarawa" in Northwest Nigeria and Its Implications on the Peaceful Coexistence and Religious Harmony of People in the Region

Nigeria and many other countries of the world are struggling to curtail the spread of terrorist groups in their areas. However, recently, another terrorist group known as “Lukarawa” (or “Lakurawa”) emerged in northwest Nigeria thereby threatening the peaceful coexistence and religious harmony of the region and other parts of the country. This paper aims to examine the causes of the emergence of this new terrorist group, its ideology and activities, and its implications on the peaceful coexistence and religious harmony of people in the region and other parts of the country. The study explored a systematic literature review method interacting with existing literature and some reports from print media. The theoretical framework used in this study is Functionalist Theory. It was discovered that the emerging terrorist group was initially a pro-people group but later started unleashing terror on the people of northwest Nigeria. Traditional and regional leaders have begun looking for ways to curb the group's activities. The Nigerian security operatives are not left behind in the efforts. It is therefore recommended that religious leaders, traditional leaders, as well as security agencies should strive to curb the activities of the group before they escalate to full-blown terrorism in the region and other parts of the country.