Bandits have imposed a staggering N60 million levy on no fewer than 12 communities in Zamfara State, accusing residents of aiding recent military operations that disrupted their strongholds.
This was made known in a post on X by Bakatsine, a conflict and crisis journalist in northwest Nigeria.
Bakatsine listed the Zamfara communities to include: Koloma, Dan Hayin Zargado, Zargado, Dan Godabe, Sabuwar Tunga, Makini, Bubaka, Yelwa, Bahwada, Koda, Manya & Kabusu.
The platform reported that the terrorists invited village heads and representatives to a meeting to discuss how to co-exist peaceful but the terrorists ended the meeting imposing levy on the villages.
A traditional ruler in Dan Kurmi, Sani Usman, told BBC Hausa that the terrorists also said they were punishing the residents for burning forests in their hideout.
The police spokesperson in Zamfara, Abubakar Sadiq, could not be reached to comment on the development. His phone number did not connect Monday evening.
Non-state actors imposing protection levy is common in Zamfara and its neighbouring states.
They impose the levies to finance their terrorism activities.
Several communities in the volatile states of Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto Kaduna, Niger, and Kebbi have been attacked for failing to pay the levies.
In recent weeks, terrorists imposed a N1.5 million levy on three Katsina communities of Gurza, Kurechin Giye, and Kulawu in the Danmusa area.
Another terrorist, Nabaruma, also imposed a N10 million protection levy on Unguwan Zakara village of Dutsin-Ma in Katsina State. All the communities complied, local sources said.
