Armed bandits have reportedly imposed a N60 million levy on at least 12 communities in Zamfara State, accusing them of aiding recent Nigerian military operations that disrupted their activities.
The affected communities include Koloma, Dan Hayin Zargado, Zargado, Dan Godabe, Sabuwar Tunga, Makini, Bubaka, Yelwa, Bahwada, Koda, Manya, and Kabusu. Local leaders and residents fear that failure to pay the ransom could result in widespread violence, including kidnappings, arson, and mass killings.
A security journalist, known as Bakatsine, raised alarm over the development on his verified X (formerly Twitter) account, warning that the situation could spiral out of control if urgent government intervention is not secured.
Former councillor of Dankurmi Ward, Hon. Iliyasu Salisu Dankurmi, confirmed the incident in an interview with BBC Hausa. He explained that the levy followed military raids that dealt heavy blows to the bandits’ operations in the region.
“The Nigerian Army had recently raided the area, and the bandits are now demanding N60 million as compensation. They have threatened to make life unbearable if we don’t pay,” he said.
Dankurmi also disclosed that eight residents from Zargado community had already been abducted. Their release, he said, is now being used as leverage to enforce payment of the demanded sum.
Many residents have expressed feelings of abandonment, saying they are caught between relentless attacks from bandits and inadequate protection from security forces. Community leaders are appealing to both federal and state governments, as well as security agencies, to act swiftly before the crisis escalates further.
As of press time, there has been no official response from the Nigerian Army or the Zamfara State government regarding the ransom demand or recent counter-insurgency efforts in the area.
This latest development comes amid a broader wave of insecurity across Nigeria’s northwestern region, where heavily armed criminal groups continue to engage in kidnapping, extortion, and violent raids on rural communities.
In a related statement, the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) recently described the surge in killings across Plateau, Zamfara, and Benue States as a “national disgrace” and “a grotesque failure of governance.” The group condemned the Nigerian government’s response, urging urgent deployment of reinforced security personnel to high-risk areas.
CNG also criticized President Bola Tinubu’s reported foreign travel amid the security crisis, comparing it to “Nero fiddling while Rome is burning.”
The situation remains tense as residents await decisive action.
