Fear has gripped residents of Soba town in the Mashegu Local Government Area of Niger State after heavily armed members of the Lakurawa extremist group openly invaded the community to preach their ideology.

The brazen operation, which occurred Friday evening immediately following Maghrib prayers, saw the terrorists moving freely from mosque to mosque, forcing local worshippers to gather and listen to their radical doctrines.

Prominent security analyst Bakatsine first broke the news on Saturday via the social media platform X. He confirmed that the armed group spent considerable time moving between local religious centers to explain their mission, signaling a dangerous shift toward unchecked public radicalization in the region.

"If armed groups can openly hold outreach sessions in communities, what does that say about the effectiveness of security efforts and state presence in these areas?" Bakatsine questioned, highlighting the absolute breakdown of local deterrence.

The open infiltration has raised urgent questions regarding the freedom of movement enjoyed by the terror cell across Niger State. Local communities feel entirely abandoned as the group continues to expand its territorial influence.

At the time of going to press, neither the Niger State Police Command nor the Nigerian military high command had issued an official statement regarding the security breach.