Residents of at least 26 communities in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State have begun contributing money to pay fresh levies imposed by bandits who have also barred them from accessing their farms ahead of the wet season farming activities.
Residents told Daily Trust that the armed groups issued a three-day ultimatum, warning farmers not to visit their farmlands until the levies demanded from the affected communities were paid.
According to the sources, the affected communities include; Garin Faji, Cina Barka, Zululu, Dan Gari, Garin Maigayya, Gardi, Katsira, Garin Baushe, Sulmawa, Zakin Ganga, Dan Kware, Garje, Dogon Faru, Son Allah, Garin Galadima, Kafchi, Matabaya, Garin Labo, Zango, Kaifin Aska, Tsauna Dogo, Tudun Wada, Rambadawa, Ga Itace, Nasarawa and Garin Idi.
A resident who maintains close contact with people in the affected villages said the bandits threatened to kill or abduct anyone found farming during the period.
“The communities were given three days. They said nobody should go to the farms until the money is paid. Anyone caught farming would either be killed or kidnapped and would not regain freedom until a ransom of N500,000 is paid,” he said.
He said residents had already started contributing money to meet the demands.
A resident of Zululu village, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said he was preparing to go to his farm on Friday when he learnt of the directive.
“We were told that the bandits had banned farming activities for three days until the villages paid the levies they impose every year.
“They said they could have allowed people to go to their farms and then kill some and abduct others, but they wanted the money instead.
According to them, security operatives have been seizing their livestock, so no farming would take place until the levies were paid,” he said.
He said traditional rulers and Islamic clerics from the affected communities were expected to meet with the bandits to determine how much each village would pay before residents could resume farming.
The resident said the communities had been subjected to such payments for years.
“We pay before planting and sometimes every two or three months. Even after paying now, they may return in about three months and say nobody should harvest millet until another levy is paid.
“They usually demand between N4 million and N6 million from a community. Villagers contribute according to their means. Some households pay N1,500 or N2,000, while in some villages farmers contribute as much as N5,000 each depending on the population,” he said.
Another source, who is an indigene of Garin Idi village and currently residing in Sabon Birni town, who visited the community on Friday to sympathise with residents following the abduction of about 20 people in the early hours of the day, confirmed that the affected communities had already started raising money to pay the levies.
He alleged that when the bandits felt the payments were being delayed, they stormed Garin Idi and abducted about 20 people on Friday.
“They later told community leaders that N600,000 must be paid before the victims could be released. The money was raised and paid, leading to the release of the abductees on Friday,” he said.
The source added that five other persons were still being held captive.
“As of now, there are still five people in their custody. They said they will not release them until the levy is paid. Even after farming, they may still prevent people from harvesting until fresh payments are made,” he said.
He further alleged that farmers are often compelled to surrender part of their harvest to the bandits before they are allowed to store food in their barns.
“Every year, after harvesting, they demand part of the produce from farmers before allowing them to store their crops. This has become a recurring burden on our communities,” he said.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer in Sokoto State, DSP Ahmad Rufai, said the command was not aware of the development.
“We are not aware of such a situation. Most times, communities do not report these kinds of incidents to security agencies,” he said.
Efforts to get the reaction of the Sokoto State Government were unsuccessful. Text and WhatsApp messages sent to the governor’s spokesman, Abubakar Bawa, and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters, Col. Ahmad Usman (rtd), seeking their comments on the allegations had not been responded to as of the time of filing this report.
