Things Fall Apart in Zamfara as Bandits Raid Communities, Abduct Over 100 Residents

Over 100 persons, mostly women and children were on Friday abducted by armed bandits in the Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

It was gathered that the bandits raided four villages of Mutumji, Sabongari Mahuta, Kwanar Dutsi, and Unguwar Kawo, all under the Maru Local Government Area for failing to pay levies imposed on the communities.

Sources from Mutumji told our correspondent that the bandits invaded the community around 8 pm after prayers and started shooting sporadically, forcing residents to scamper for safety.

Residents said a bandits’ kingpin operating in the area, Damina, had imposed an N110 million naira “harvesting levy” on these communities, giving them a two-week ultimatum to comply and pay.

A N50m levy was imposed on Mutumji, N30m on Kwanar Dutsi, N20m on Sabongari Mahuta, and N10m on Unguwar Kawo, it was gathered.

Another source from the area said the communities have started gathering the money when the terrorists invaded the community on Friday evening.

Several attempts to get reactions from the state government and police authorities in the state were not successful

The latest abduction was barely a week after 15 persons were abducted in the Ruwandoruwa community of the same local government.
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