Bandits Abduct Over 100 Residents For Failing To Pay Levies

Approximately one hundred villagers, primarily women and children, were kidnapped by bandits in Zamfara State’s Maru Local Government Area, where they are thought to have been led by the infamous commander Damina.

According to information obtained, the bandits raided four villages under the Maru LGA: Mutunji, Sabongari Mahuta, Kwanar Dutsi, and Unguwar Kawo. These villages were all under levies that the inhabitants were required to pay.

After terrifying the community, Damina made farmers pay a tax of almost N110 million before they could visit their land.

In an interview with the BBC Hausa Service on Saturday, November 25, 2023, a resident of Mutunji who yearned for anonymity claimed that the bandits had struck on Friday night.

“The latest attack was because the farmers could not pay the N110 million levy imposed on the farmers by Damina,” the source said.

“The bandits came on many bikes, encircled the community and went away with the people on Friday night. We need help, the situation is beyond our control.

“Two weeks ago, there was confusion amongst the bandits after they were hit on the ground by a plane.

“The bandits asked the people of Mutunji to give them N50 million, those in Fara to give N30 million, Mahuta 20 million, Unguwan Kawo 10 million.

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“That’s a total of N110 million demanded by Damina.

“As of Friday, the locals were not able to meet the bandits’ demand.

“Damina came to Mutunji and killed one, inflicted injury on another and took over 100 locals to the forest.

“Damina operated between 9.40 pm and around 11 pm. He took what he wanted and left. He said they must give him the sum of N110 million.

“Previously, he was given N8 million, N10 million, even N20 million was given to him at different times. Unspecified amounts were given; we should just leave the matter to Almighty Allah.”

According to a different Mutunji local, the bandits operated concurrently in four other settlements.

“Immediately they entered Mutunji village, they started firing gunshots sporadically into the air to scare the residents. As expected, people started running for their lives,” he said.

“The bandits then apprehended the weak among the residents who were mostly women and children. Of course, the abled ones among the residents escaped. While they were operating, I tried to call a friend in the neighbouring village of Kwanar-Dutse to seek for help but he told me that they were also under attack.

“Ibrahim told me that as at the time I was speaking with him, he was in the bush together with some people after escaping.”

The bandits, according to a fellow resident who also wished for anonymity, may have been members of the same gang but had split up into four groups, each of which was attacking a different community.

“We learnt that after the separate operations in the four villages, the bandits regrouped and dragged the abductees into the bush. The bandits are now attacking villages and abducting their victims at will. They no longer face any resistance from security personnel. In fact, residents have now been abandoned. We don’t receive any help from the security personnel whenever the bandits operate.

“The issue is that even if you inform the security or the traditional rulers nothing is being done to prevent such attack. Sometimes, we get to know about the coming of the bandits but even if we inform the concerned authorities, that will not make any positive impact.”