A gang of bandits operating in Maru County of Zamfara State led by one Damina raided four villages on Friday night and abducted more than 100 locals.
The gunmen struck over the failure of the locals to keep up with the payment of a N110 million levy as retribution after Nigerian troops killed four of their men. Damina accuses the locals of giving soldiers tip-offs of his gang’s movements.
Several remote communities in Zamfara State and many parts of Northwest Nigeria have been paying taxes to terrorists to avoid attacks or to have access to their farms.
The locals of Mutunji, Unguwar Kawo, Kwanar Dutsi and Sabon Garin Mahuta villages were reportedly given a week to raise a total of N110 million.
The terrorists imposed N50 million levy on Mutumji, N30 million on Kwanar Dutsi, N20 million on Sabongari Mahuta, and N10 million on Unguwar Kawo.
The deadline expired last Friday, leading to the abduction of the villagers who were still running helter-skelter to raise the money, showing how brazen the activities of the terrorists have been in the area.
“We were sitting in a place called Yar Kasuwa after the Isha’i prayers when the terrorists stormed the community,” a resident of Mutunji told BBC Hausa.
“They surrounded the community while others drove into the community centre. We began running but it was already too late. They marched people into the forest.”
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