A councillor in Malumfashi Local Government Area of Katsina has said that bandits have imposed a levy on his people, demanding N10 million and other items worth N5 million as the only condition for their being allowed to farm.
Usman A. Usman, in an interview with LEADERSHIP, also said that the spate of killings in the local government is worsening, urging the State and the Federal Government to intervene.
Findings revealed that bandits have been attacking some Malumfashi communities, killing over 50 people, in farms and inside mosques.
According to their councillor, the Almu Ward people will have to produce N15 million to be able to farm.
Usman, who represents Almu Ward in Malumfashi LGA, said residents of the area have been subjected to a N15 million levy before they can go to their farm at a specific time.
Usman, who raised the alarm over the worsening spate of banditry, revealed that armed groups now invade communities daily, killing, abducting, and imposing heavy levies on residents.
According to him, “The bandits have demanded a total of N10 million and two Honda motorcycles from about nine villages. The sum is estimated to be at nearly N15 million.”
According to him, the bandits said that if the demand is met, farmers could only access their farms between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. daily if their conditions are met; otherwise, no one dares to step out.
“They told us this is the condition for negotiation if we want to go to our farms peacefully without attacks,” he said.
He added that each household contributes N10,000 for that purpose, even though the attacks have not stopped.
“Two communities were attacked yesterday. They snatched phones, money, and also took people and animals away. Anytime they come, they take 3 to 5 people and rustle livestock. The people now believe the government has abandoned them and that they are under the control of the bandits,” Usman added.
Usman further disclosed that people in about 16 communities have fled to towns such as Dayi and Malumfashi, abandoning their homes at night for safety and returning only at daybreak to tend their farms briefly.
He identified the bandits’ hideouts as the Kankara axis, particularly Wawa Kaza and Gimi, and called for the urgent deployment of security forces to the affected areas.
In the past week, he said, many residents have been killed while others are receiving treatment in hospitals.
“In Gidan Martau, between 27 and 30 people were killed, while in Almu, the commander of the Civilian JTF was murdered,” he revealed.
Mainly, the death toll from the attack on a mosque has risen to 32, according to the state government, pushing the total number of people killed in recent times to over 50.
Unguwar Mantau have received a government delegation led by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Abdullahi Faskari.
The delegation, which was received by the District Head of Karfi and relatives of the deceased, expressed sympathy and pledged government support.
In the chaos that followed, some of the kidnapped persons managed to escape, while security operatives rescued others.
They are currently receiving medical attention in hospitals.
Governor Dikko Radda, who is on medical leave, was said to have contacted acting Governor Faruk Lawal Jobe, directing him to dispatch a high-powered delegation to console the victims’ families and the affected community.
SSG Faskari described the incident as “painful and a huge loss to the community,” adding that the government would not relent in pursuing security measures to restore peace in the state.
