A notorious bandit leader, Bello Turji, has reportedly issued a fresh threat to farming communities in Zamfara and parts of Niger State, demanding a staggering N50 million before allowing residents to cultivate their farmlands this rainy season.
Security analyst, Bakatsine, disclosed this development on his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle on Sunday, raising alarm over the worsening state of insecurity in Nigeria’s rural North.
According to the post, the affected communities span from Tsalaken Gulbi in Fakai village, under Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara, extending to Qaya, a village close to the Niger State border.
Turji reportedly warned that failure to comply with his demand would result in violent attacks on any farmer found on their land.
“The farmers can only go to their farms in peace after paying a total of N50 million,” Bakatsine quoted the bandit as saying.
PLATFORM TIMES reports that this demand marks a disturbing continuation of the growing trend of “harvest levies” imposed by criminal gangs in parts of northern Nigeria, where rural residents are forced to pay so-called safety taxes to avoid attacks during farming and harvesting seasons.
However, despite these forced payments, many farmers still face deadly ambushes or have their produce looted.
In some tragic cases, they are killed even after meeting the bandits’ demands.
Residents and security experts alike have expressed concern that these developments could worsen food insecurity in the region, as fear of attacks continues to deter many farmers from cultivating their lands.
Bello Turji has long been identified as one of the most dangerous and influential figures in the ongoing wave of banditry across the North-West.
Despite repeated military operations and promises of peace, communities under his grip remain vulnerable and terrorized.
Efforts to reach the Nigerian Police Force and the Zamfara State government for official comments were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.
Zamfara and Niger states have witnessed a series of attacks, mass kidnappings, and extortion schemes by heavily armed gangs.
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