Bandits impose N172.7m levy on 25 Zamfara villages

Abdullateef Fowewe

Armed bandits operating under the leadership of a notorious kingpin, Danisuhu have imposed a huge levy of N172,700,000 on 25 villages in Tsafe West, Zamfara State, plunging the rural communities into further insecurity and economic hardship.

This was gathered in a report on Monday, by the Security Analyst, Counter Insurgency Expert, Zagazola Makama.

Makama who claimed in the report that intelligence sources told him that the levies, coupled with demands for in-kind contributions like bags of soybeans, have been accompanied by threats of violence, prompting many residents to flee their homes.

It was gathered that several villages in the area are now deserted, leaving behind ghost settlements.

Breakdown of levies per village:
Gijinzama village: N8.5m, Dakolo village: N5m + 20 bags of soybeans, Gunja village: N7m, Kauyen Kane village: N5m, Kurar Mota village: N6m, Sabon Garin Bakin Gulbi village: N2.5m, Kibari village: N3m, Karda village: N5m, Daga Ciki village: N3m,  Biya village: N5m, Barebari village: N6m, Kauyen Magaji village: N7m, Kwaren Maisaje village: N10m, Magazawa village: N10m, Maciya village: N5m, Unguwar Danhalima village: N5m, Unguwar Rogo village: N5m, Katanga village: ₦5M, Magazu: ₦5M, Sungawa: N15m, Rakyabu village: N15m, Yalwa village: N2.7m, Tsageru village: N5m, Gidan Anne village: N7m, Kunchin Kalgo village: N20m.

However, most of residents of these villages aforementioned have reportedly abandoned their homes, farmland, and livelihoods in fear of violent reprisals for failing to meet the demands.

While security has improved along the Funtua-Tsafe axis and in Tsafe town, these gains have yet to extend to the rural villages of Tsafe West.

The residents have appealed for urgent intervention from the Nigerian government to deploy more security personnel and establishing permanent posts in Tsafe West.