Terror Tax: 12 Zamfara Communities Ordered to Pay N60m to Bandits or Face Deadly Attacks
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Zamfara, Nigeria – Fear and anxiety have gripped twelve rural communities in Zamfara State following a chilling demand by armed bandits, who have imposed a staggering N60 million levy on them, accusing the villages of aiding military operations in the region.
The affected communities—Koloma, Dan Hayin Zargado, Zargado, Dan Godabe, Sabuwar Tunga, Makini, Bubaka, Yelwa, Bahwada, Koda, Manya, and Kabusu—have reportedly been given an ultimatum: pay up or suffer devastating attacks.
According to local conflict journalists and multiple regional sources, the bandits believe these communities provided intelligence that led to recent successful raids by Nigerian military forces targeting criminal hideouts. In what appears to be retaliation, the gangs are now attempting to reassert control by extorting large sums from civilians, sparking widespread fear.
“The bandits sent messages to the community leaders warning that if the levy is not paid, they would attack the villages one by one,” a local publisher familiar with the situation revealed under the condition of anonymity. “The people are terrified. They are struggling to gather the money to avoid bloodshed.”
The N60 million ransom is expected to be split among the twelve communities, with each village assigned a specific amount based on its perceived level of “guilt,” insiders say. Residents report that negotiations with the criminals have been ongoing but have yielded no concessions so far.
Banditry Crisis Deepens
Zamfara, located in Nigeria’s troubled northwest, has for years been a hotbed of banditry, with armed groups engaging in mass kidnappings, cattle rustling, extortion, and terror attacks. Despite repeated military offensives and government amnesty offers, the situation remains volatile, with rural communities often caught between criminal groups and security forces.
This latest development has highlighted the state’s fragile security architecture and the desperate reality facing civilians: a parallel system of terror and taxation imposed by non-state actors.
“How can we live like this?” lamented one resident of Sabuwar Tunga. “We are citizens of Nigeria but here, we are treated like we are prisoners of these criminals.”
Government Response Awaited
As of the time of filing this report, neither the Zamfara State Government nor security agencies had publicly responded to the extortion reports.
Security experts warn that the trend of bandits imposing levies on communities could further entrench lawlessness, as affected areas may resort to arming themselves or paying off criminals for temporary peace—a development that could undermine national efforts to combat insecurity.
“When communities are forced to negotiate with terrorists, it signals a breakdown of state authority,” said Dr. Tunde Ajayi, a security analyst based in Abuja. “It is crucial for federal and state authorities to intervene quickly, or risk losing entire regions to anarchy.”
Meanwhile, residents of the targeted villages live under a heavy cloud of fear, anxiously awaiting a solution to a crisis that has turned them into hostages in their own land.
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