Gunmen under the command of a notorious bandit leader, Danisuhu, have reportedly imposed a ₦172.7 million levy on 25 villages in Tsafe West Local Government Area, Zamfara State. In addition to cash payments, the criminals are demanding food items, including bags of soybeans, from the affected communities.
Reports indicate that the affected residents, gripped by fear of violent retaliation for non-compliance, have fled their homes, farmlands, and means of livelihood. A security analyst specializing in counter-insurgency efforts in the Lake Chad region confirmed this development, describing the situation as dire.
The analyst detailed the demands for each village:
Gijinzama: ₦8.5M
Dakolo: ₦5M + 20 bags of soybeans
Gunja: ₦7M
Kauyen Kane: ₦5M
Kurar Mota: ₦6M
Sabon Garin: ₦2.5M
Bakin Gulbi: ₦3M
Kibari: ₦3M
Karda: ₦5M
Daga Ciki: ₦3M
Biya: ₦5M
Barebari: ₦6M
Kauyen Magaji: ₦7M
Other villages include:
Kwaren Maisaje: ₦10M
Magazawa: ₦10M
Maciya: ₦5M
Unguwar Danhalima: ₦5M
Unguwar Rogo: ₦5M
Katanga: ₦5M
Magazu: ₦5M
Sungawa: ₦15M
Rakyabu: ₦15M
Yalwa: ₦2.7M
Tsageru: ₦5M
Gidan Anne: ₦7M
Kunchin Kalgo: ₦20M
A local source stated, “The situation is critical. When these levies are not paid, the bandits launch brutal attacks, leaving residents with no choice but to flee.”
Although there have been improvements in security along the Funtua-Tsafe axis and in Tsafe town, the same cannot be said for the rural areas of Tsafe West. Residents are pleading with authorities to intervene by deploying additional security forces and establishing permanent security posts in the region.
This crisis has left hundreds of villagers displaced, requiring immediate relief and assistance. The community’s call for urgent government action grows louder as the humanitarian situation worsens.
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Chronicles Reporters