Residents of Bazar community and surrounding villages in Yabo Local Government Area of Sokoto State are living in terror after suspected bandits issued a N15 million extortion demand, threatening mass killings, farmland destruction, and seizure of harvested crops if unmet.
The chilling ultimatum, delivered during a brazen Friday night raid around 11:40 p.m., saw over 50 armed assailants invade the town, operating unchallenged for more than an hour until about 1:06 a.m.
The gunmen abducted seven people, including the village head, before releasing him and five others after issuing stern warnings against reporting the incident to authorities.
Shops were looted, with goods worth millions of naira carted away, exacerbating the community's economic woes amid Nigeria's soaring inflation.
Dauda Umar, a local resident, recounted the ordeal: “It’s true that the bandits demanded N15 million from us, threatening to harm our people if we don’t pay.
They’ve attacked us before, and they know our town very well.” He described the fear gripping the area, adding, “We’ve informed the authorities, including the police, but we need urgent help. Our people are scared, and many are already planning to abandon their farms.”
The extortion follows a pattern of banditry in the Northwest, with similar levies imposed on nearby Tudun Rini and Runji villages earlier this year, each facing N17 million demands. These attacks have displaced thousands, crippled farming the region's economic lifeline and fueled a humanitarian crisis, with insecurity linked to broader insurgent activities spilling over from neighboring Zamfara and Niger states.
The community has appealed directly to the Yabo Local Government Chairman and the Sokoto State Government for immediate intervention, including bolstered security patrols and relief support.
“Our harvests are at risk, and without protection, we'll lose everything,” Umar pleaded.
Sokoto State Police Command spokesperson DSP Ahmed Rufai acknowledged the incident but claimed initial unawareness of the specific levy.
“The command is not yet aware of the alleged levy, but we assure residents that we will intensify surveillance and patrols in the affected communities to ensure peace and protect lives and property,” he said.
Rufai highlighted recent successes, noting that in September, police arrested three suspected bandit collaborators and recovered arms and ammunition in separate operations.
Governor Ahmed Aliyu's administration is yet to issue a formal response, but sources indicate emergency meetings are underway.
Rights groups, including Amnesty International, have condemned the levies as "economic terrorism," urging President Bola Tinubu to prioritize Northwest security in the national budget.
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com