Gunmen abduct over 100 villagers in Zamfara over non-payment of fees

More than 100 people in the Mutumji, Sabongari Mahuta, Kwanar Dutsi, and Unguwar Kawo communities of Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State have been abducted by gunmen for failing to pay levies imposed on them.

The bandits have reportedly been terrorizing the communities as they could not pay the levies imposed on them.

Alhaji Muhammad Usman, a villager from Mutumji, says that the bandits stormed the community at about 8 p.m. and started shooting sporadically, forcing residents to run for safety.

According to him, Damina, who is the bandits’ kingpin in the area, had earlier imposed N110 million on the communities as harvesting levies, giving them a two-week ultimatum to comply or face the consequences.

“A N50 million levy was imposed on our community, while N30 million was imposed on Kwanar Dutsi; N20 million on Sabongari Mahuta; and N10 million on Unguwar Kawo,” he added.

Another source from the area said that the communities had started contributing money when the terrorists stormed the community on Friday evening.

As of the time of filing this report, the police had yet to comment on the incident.

The incident came a week after some villagers were abducted in the Ruwandoruwa community of the same Local Government Area.

It could also be recalled that early this year, the bandits killed a Divisional Police Officer and some police officers in Maru town of the same Local Government Area of the State.