Bandits Threaten 7 Zamfara Communities To Pay N37m Before Monday Or…

Bandits terrorising residents of Zamfara State have issued an ultimatum to seven communities in Tsafe Local Government Area of the state to pay a sum of N37 million as a ‘protection fee’ before Monday, December 27, or face fresh attacks in the areas.

The communities are Bawagauga, Hayin Uda, Ruguza, Dumuyu, Zigau, Mai-Rerai, and Gidan Kado with a reliable source in the area claiming that the bandits distributed the amount (N37 million) among the affected communities.

Though unable to explain how the bandits arrived at figures allocated to each community for payment, the source, who confirmed the development, said the residents in Bawagauga were asked to pay N13 million; Hayin Uda – N7 million; Gidan Kado – N6 million; and Mai-Rerai – N4 million; with the trio of Ruguza, Dumuyu and Zigau given N2 million each to settle.

Furthermore, the source disclosed that the Leader of the bandits, identified as Hassan Bamamu, had sometimes ago signed a peace pact with the government of Zamfara State and pledged to desist from banditry activities.

According to the source, the Tsafe local government authorities have already alerted the relevant security agencies about the bandits’ threat hanging on the affected communities to keep the people and their property safe.

By their locations, all the communities currently under threat are about 25km away from Tsafe Local government headquarters.

Meanwhile, efforts at reaching the Zamfara State Police Command Public Relations Officer (PRO), Superintendent of Police (SP) Mohammed Shehu for his reaction on the development were unsuccessful before the report went to bed.

SP Shehu did not respond to either text or WhatsApp messages and phone calls put across to his mobile phone to confirm if the Police Command was aware of the development and possible measures in place to secure the threatened communities. – With Vanguard News report