NEWS
Insecurity: Shocking how a community pays over N40m levy to bandits
Despite several promises by President Muhammadu Buhari to tackle insecurity especially in the Northern part of Nigeria, a report has revealed how residents of Mutumji communities in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State, pay over N40 million protection levy to bandits.
A traditional ruler in Mutumji, Abdulkadir Abdullahi, said the communities have become a major target for bandits after soldiers withdrew from the area.
Abdullahi said Mutumji has 47 villages with four district heads and 32 ward heads.
He said all the villages are now under the control of bandits and that those that chose not to pay the levy have relocated to neighbour
ring Kebbi and Niger states.
“Some residents are fleeing the communities because they cannot afford to contribute the money.
“The total amount imposed on Mutumji was N20 million. We were given one week to complete the payment,” the traditional leader told Premium Times.
On a Friday, which was a market day in Dansadau town, about 12 kilometres from Mutumji, residents said the bandits seized five motorcycles and foodstuffs from residents returning to Mutumji from Dansadau market.
Following that incident, Mr. Abbdullahi said their leader, Mr. Damina, ordered the community to send two residents to meet him at Farar Doka in Dan-Gulbi ward. However, the traditional ruler said the community sent five emissaries to the meeting, including a Fulani, Alhaji Gudau, who resides in the outskirts of Mutumji.
“At that meeting, Damina initiated a peace dialogue with Mutumji and asked the community to raise N50 million to appease his foot soldiers not to attack and kidnap in Mutumji. But after intense bargaining, Damina agreed to collect N20 million.
“The deadline for the delivery of the N20 million levy was February 14, but we were only able to raise and deliver N9.7 million on Monday. He has given us one week to complete the payment, this is even as many residents are fleeing in fear of attacks,” the traditional ruler said.
“Whenever they wanted to impose a levy on a village, they would first abduct one or two residents of that community. Upon their release, they would send them to deliver a message to the villages, that they were ready for peace but a certain amount of money had to be paid for them to settle the troublesome bandits among them.
“The bandits would tell us that any community that refused to pay the protection levy would be wiped out. That would compel the residents to pay because there are no security forces around to protect them,” Mr. Abdullahi explained to Premium Times.
