In a shocking escalation of lawlessness in Nigeria’s Northwest, daredevil bandits have imposed a jaw-dropping N60 million levy on no fewer than twelve communities in Zamfara State, accusing them of aiding recent Nigerian military offensives that disrupted their operational bases.
The affected communities—Koloma, Dan Hayin Zargado, Zargado, Dan Godabe, Sabuwar Tunga, Makini, Bubaka, Yelwa, Bahwada, Koda, Manya, and Kabusu—have been thrown into panic and confusion, fearing deadly reprisals should they fail to meet the demand.
Local sources say the levy was issued as a form of “punishment and compensation” following recent raids by Nigerian troops that reportedly inflicted significant losses on the criminal groups. The former councillor of Dankurmi Ward, Hon. Iliyasu Salisu Dankurmi, confirmed the development in an interview with BBC Hausa, warning that the threat is real and growing.
“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,” Dankurmi stated.
He further revealed that the bandits have already kidnapped eight residents from the Zargado community, tying their release to the payment of ransom.
A prominent security journalist known as Bakatsine also raised alarm on his verified X handle, cautioning that the situation could escalate dramatically if urgent intervention from the government is not activated.
Residents now find themselves trapped between the brutal demands of terrorists and a glaring absence of adequate state protection. Many fear mass abductions, arson, and killings could follow if the levy is not paid, prompting local leaders to issue desperate calls for intervention from both the federal and state governments, as well as security agencies.
So far, neither the Nigerian Army nor the Zamfara State government has issued a formal statement on the matter, despite the gravity of the threat.
This disturbing development is yet another dark chapter in the ongoing wave of violence plaguing Nigeria’s northern region. In recent weeks, the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) condemned the spate of killings in Plateau, Zamfara, and Benue states, describing the situation as a “national disgrace” and an unmistakable sign of failed leadership.
In a strongly worded statement signed by its National Coordinator, Jamilu Aliyu Charanchi, the group decried the massacre of over 100 people in Plateau State, the razing of entire communities, and the displacement of thousands.
“The recent massacre in Plateau State, where over 100 lives were brutally cut short, represents a grotesque failure of governance,” the statement read. “These killings are not isolated. They form part of a broader pattern of insecurity spanning Boko Haram terrorism in the North-East, banditry in the North-West, and ethno-religious violence in the North-Central.”
The CNG further criticized President Bola Tinubu’s foreign trips amid the worsening security situation, likening his apparent indifference to “Nero fiddling while Rome is burning.”
With the specter of violence hanging over Zamfara and other volatile regions, citizens and rights groups are demanding immediate and decisive action to reclaim Nigeria’s rural communities from the grip of terror. As tension builds, all eyes are on the government to break its silence and act before these communities descend into another cycle of bloodshed and despair.
PIONEER NEWS 