Armed bandits operating in Zamfara State’s Zurmi Local Government Area have purportedly demanded N10 million as a fine from various villages under their control.
According to a special report by BBC Hausa Service on Thursday, the bandits demanded the money following a reconciliation meeting held in a community in the state’s neighboring Shinkafi Local Government Area between the people of the communities and representatives of the bandits’ group.
According to a source, the bandits sought a reconciliation conference with the inhabitants of Yanbuki and its neighboring Zurmi settlements, and the communities agreed to put an end to the persistent threat and intimidation by the armed bandits.
Continuing, the source stated that the recent raid undertaken by the bandits in the Yanbuki neighborhood on Saturday resulted in the kidnapping of more than 35 people who were standing by the road site awaiting a vehicle.
The BBC Hausa Service said that the reconciliation meeting took place at a village called “Kuryar Kware” and was attended by the majority of the residents of Yanbuki, and its neighbouring communities.
According to the source who is from the Yanbuki community, “after realizing that all effort to get the government and security agencies to secure the axis failed we had no option than to accept the reconciliation meeting, and they have demanded the payment of N10 million fine for peace to reign,” the source said.
According to the source, the impacted towns have agreed to pay the fee in order to breathe free air.
He names the villages as Yanbuki, Tsaka, Maduba, Askawa, Ganda Samu, Dillin Fulani, and Kafan Dutsi, claiming that the inhabitants from these villages attended the reconciliation meeting and agreed to pay.
The robbers demanded that the residents of Yanbuki hamlet pay the ransom for the 68 people taken from the community, according to the BBC Hausa Service.
“On this particular issue of payment of ransom, even the communities members and the bandits held meeting again on Wednesday but could not reach an agreement,” it said.
However, a man from the village who refused to mention his name for security reasons said he was asked to pay his N13,000 as part of the contribution levied on every resident of Yanbuki village, saying that the neighbouring community is to pay for onward transmission to the bandits.
But the state Commissioner of Information, Hon. Ibrahim Magaji Dosara, said the state government was not aware that a fine was imposed on the people of Yanbuki community but assured that he would investigate the substance of the claim.
He admitted that the government was aware of the plight of Yanbuki community members regarding the constant attack on the village by the bandits.
“Even recently, security agencies came to their rescue on the threats they are undergoing. But we are not aware that they were asked to pay a N10 million fine. We cannot confirm the substance of the claim now until we investigate it.
“On the allegation that the people of Yanbuki village were neglected by the government despite the threat, they are facing from the bandits,” he said.
“Did They have informed you that recently the vehicles of security agencies were attacked and set ablaze by the bandits, so if they are neglected, how did security vehicles got burnt? I think that issue of saying they were abandoned by the government does not arise.”
According to the commissioner, enforcement of the fine on communities by some suspected bandits is the latest security threat faced by many communities in Zamfara State the state government and the security agencies are making frantic efforts to see to the rescue of people from Zurmi, Bungudu, Kaura Namoda, Gusau, Bakura, Maru and Tsafe.
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