Bandits, led by notorious kingpin Dan Isuhu, have imposed a staggering N172.7 million levy on 25 villages in Zamfara State’s Tsafe West district.
The villages affected include; Gijinzama (N8.5 million), Dakolo (N5 million plus 20 bags of soybeans), Kibari (N3 million), Kunchin Kalgo (N20 million), Sungawa (N15 million), and Yalwa (N2.7 million), among others.
The bandits’ demands are accompanied by threats of violence against villages that refuse to comply.
This has led to a mass exodus of community members, who have abandoned their homes, farmland, and livelihoods in fear of brutal attacks.
A local resident, Isah from Yalwa village, lamented, “We need protection to live in our villages.”
The situation is dire, with hundreds of residents fleeing their homes due to the inability to pay the levies.
The bandits’ attacks have left the residents with no option but to flee, highlighting the urgent need for protection and security in the region.