Zamfara communities groan as bandits place N1m levy, vow to wipe out residents

Some communities in Zamfara State have been thrown into panic following the expiration of a deadline for them to pay N1 million levy each to bandits or face being wiped out.

Residents of the affected communities are now living in fear and have cried out to the state government and security agencies to come to their aid, as the ultimatum given to them by the terrorists expired on December 11.

Communities affected by the bandits’ mandate include Birnin Tsaba, Gabaken Mesa, Gabaken Dan-Maliki, Turawa, Askawa, Zurmi and Yanbuki, in Kaura Namoda and Birnin-Magaji local government areas of the state respectively.

A resident of one of the communities who spoke to a Hausa online platform on the condition of anonymity on Monday, said the communities are now at the “mercy of the bandits who have virtually set up their own government in the affected areas.”

“We are at the mercy of these bandits who have vowed to wipe us out if we fail to raise the amount.

“The dateline they gave us expired on December 11, and we are living in fear as we do not know their next line of action.

“We are poor people as majority of us are peasant farmers and we don’t have the kind of money they are demanding.

“Some communities were yet to raise the money before the December 11 deadline given by the gunmen, and this has caused serious tension and panic in the affected areas.

“We heard that the people of Gabaken Mesa has paid N1 million, Gabaken Dan-Maliki, N1 million and Birnin Tsaba N1 million, just to mention but few. But other communities that could not raise the money are living n fear.

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“We are begging the government and security agencies to come to our aid.
No one is going to the police to report, knowing full well that nothing will be done but to tell them to pay the money.

“I personally went to the military on Friday evening in Kaura Namoda to report the incident; I almost ended up fighting with one of the soldiers. I can categorically tell you nothing has been done, till now.”

The state Commissioner for Information, Ibrahim Dosara, also confirmed the development in an interviewhe granted newsmen on Sunday.

Dosara said the state government was aware of the levy imposed on the affected communities but assured that the government was working with the security agencies to ensure the communities were secured.

“The government is working with the security agencies to make sure these communities are secured,” the Commissioner said.

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