Armed bandit groups operating in the North-West region have imposed a heavy N20 million protection levy on residents of Bakale village in Sokoto State, threatening deadly attacks if the ransom is not paid.
The demand, was conveyed via an audio recording. In the recording, the bandit leader ordered the traditional village head of Bakale, located in the Kilgori district of Yabo Local Government Area, to communicate the demand to the community residents.
The bandit leader promised the community that if they pay, he would prevent any other group from attacking or kidnapping their people, failure to pay would result in a violent assault, including killings and mass abductions;
We don’t want to attack you. That is why we decided to impose this levy. If you pay, I promise you will continue to live in peace… But if you fail to pay, we will attack you, kill you, and abduct your people. This is our message
A community leader, speaking anonymously, confirmed that at least 12 other villages across Kilgori and Torankawa districts are currently facing similar levies, which range from N3 million to N20 million based on community size. The demand follows recent attacks in the area, including the killing of six people in Alkalije and four in Tile just two weeks prior.
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