Bandits impose N60 million levy on Zamfara communities

Bandits have imposed a N60 million levy on 12 communities in the Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

Residents said the bandits imposed the levy to punish them for allegedly providing information to the military.

Soldiers reportedly attacked the terrorists’ hideouts in the Dan Kurmi forest last week, killing many terrorists.

Resident told TheBeat, an online news platform focusing on bandits’ operations in the zone, that the terrorists instructed residents of Koloma, Dan Hayin Zargado, Zargado, Dan Godabe, Sabuwar Tunga, Makini, Bubaka, Yelwa, Bahwada, Koda, Manya, and Kabusu to pay the N60 million to avoid being attacked.

The platform reported that the terrorists invited village heads and representatives to a meeting to discuss how to co-exist peaceful but the terrorists ended the meeting imposing levy on the villages.

A traditional ruler in Dan Kurmi, Sani Usman, told BBC Hausa as monitored by PREMIUM TIMES that the terrorists also said they were punishing the residents for burning forests in their hideout.

The police spokesperson in Zamfara, Abubakar Sadiq, could not be reached to comment on the development. His phone number did not connect Monday evening.

Non-state actors imposing protection levy is common in Zamfara and its neighbouring states.

They impose the levies to finance their terrorism activities.

Several communities in the volatile states of Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto Kaduna, Niger, and Kebbi have been attacked for failing to pay the levies.

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In recent weeks, terrorists imposed a N1.5 million levy on three Katsina communities of Gurza, Kurechin Giye, and Kulawu in the Danmusa area.

Another terrorist, Nabaruma, also imposed a N10 million protection levy on Unguwan Zakara village of Dutsin-Ma in Katsina State. All the communities complied, local sources told PREMIUM TIMES.