State and Non-State Actors and Community Security: The Emergence of the Lakurawa Violent Group in Nigeria

Abstract

This paper examines the emergence of the Lakurawa violent group in Nigeria as a case study of the complex interplay between state and non-state actors in shaping community security. Drawing on State Fragility Theory, the study argues that governance deficits, including weak policing, porous borders, and socio-economic deprivation, created the enabling conditions for Lakurawa’s rise. Using a qualitative methodology and relying on secondary data from journals, government reports, policy briefs, and media sources, the research employs thematic content analysis to trace Lakurawa’s origins, evolution, and impact on community security. The findings reveal that Lakurawa initially emerged as a vigilante formation invited by local leaders to defend communities from banditry, but later transformed into an extremist group asserting parallel governance through taxation, corporal punishment, and ideological indoctrination. The study demonstrates that while state actors (police, military, local authorities) have attempted to reassert control through proscription and military operations, these efforts have been undermined by intelligence failures, delayed responses, and civilian casualties, which further eroded trust. Non-state actors, including traditional and religious leaders, played paradoxical roles at times, enhancing protection, but also enabling the group’s entrenchment before eventually resisting its radical agenda. The Lakurawa case underscores the risks of hybrid security governance, where fragmented authority and mistrust between state and non-state actors create openings for violent groups. By linking local dynamics to broader Sahelian insecurity, the paper contributes to scholarly debates on fragile states and violent extremism in Africa. It concludes that militarized responses alone are insufficient. Instead, restoring community security requires rebuilding the social contract, regulating non-state actors, strengthening governance, and fostering regional cooperation.