Bandits Demand N100,000 from Kaduna Farmers
By Abubakar Sadiq Isah
Tue, 28 May 2024 3:55:49 WAT
Bandits in Unguwar Jibo and Nasarawa communities in Kachia LGA of Kaduna State have demanded that farmers raise N100,000 each as a condition to cultivate their lands. This demand comes after allegations that the farmers provided information to troops about the bandits’ movements and locations.
A confidential source revealed on Monday that the extortion extends beyond Unguwar Jibo and Nasarawa to include farmers in Gidan-Makeri, Hayin Dam, and Dogon-Daji within Kagarko LGA, who have also been instructed to raise N100,000 each.
In addition to the monetary demand, the bandits have imposed a requirement for farmers to supply them with foodstuffs and drugs every two weeks. “The bandits have told the farmers that besides paying N100,000 each, they must also provide food and medical supplies bi-weekly to be allowed to farm,” the source explained.
A community leader, who wished to remain anonymous, confirmed the situation, stating, “Last week, bandits drove away some farmers from Unguwar Jibo and Nasarawa, suspecting them of informing troops about their activities. This new demand for N100,000 each has created chaos among us, especially since 95 percent of our people rely on farming.”
The affected communities have urgently appealed to the state government for assistance and the deployment of troops to protect them.
As of now, the spokesman for the Kaduna State Police Command, SP Hassan Mansur, has not commented on the situation.
