Full Letters: Bandits Write 9 Communities in Zamfara, Make Crucial Demand
- Nine communities in Zamfara state are in panic as bandits wrote them letters, asking them to pay their "levies"
- The letters which were delivered by released captives instruct the communities to pay of face deadly attacks
- A source who spoke anonymously said residents in the affected communities are also making efforts to comply with the bandits' directive
Zamfara state - Bandits have written to nine communities in Bukkuyum local government area of Zamfara state asking them to pay their levies or face deadly attacks.
Premium Times reported that the bandits that authored the letters were those operating in Gando forest.
Source: Facebook
The newspaper the letters were written in Hausa language and addressed to the different communities.
Content of the letters
Legit.ng gathers that each of the letters has the name of the community on the top and the money it is expected to pay. The letters also contain a mobile phone number. It is, however, learnt that the number was not reachable when dialed.
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One of the letters reads:
“Yargalma. N5,000,000. From Dogon Sabi na Auwali Wanzam. You people should reach out to us for peace. Come and pay us money or vacate your town. Respect this and live in peace."
All the letters bore the same contents except the title of the town and the amount the bandits are seeking.
The affected communities and the amount they are expected to pay
Zugu district
- Wawan Iccen Ibrahim - N4,000,000
- Wawan Iccen Salihu - N1,000,000
- Gaude - N1,000,000
- Galle - N1,000,000
- Tungar Gebe - N500,000
Gado district
- Nannarki - N5,000,000
- Ruwan Kura - N5,000,000
Adabka district
- Gangara - N1.5 million
Zarummai district
- Yar Galma - N5,000,000.
Letters' authenticity confirmed
Premium Times cited a source at the palace of Bunun Zugu, district head of Zugu in Bukkuyum local government area as confirming the letter's authenticity.
The source said all the letters were sent to Bunun Zugu.
He added that the monarch had reached out to the Emir of Bukkuyum on the issue.
On how they authenticated the letters, the source source explained that they were brought to the district head by released captives.
According to him, residents of the affected communities have started gathering the money to avoid attacks.
Nigerians react
Coque De Oliver said:
"I ask again; what do these bandits want? How can you be taxing those that are suffering the same hardship with you, and when they can't pay, you kill them. The government is responsible for this hardship, not the poor villagers."
Saminu Lawan said:
"I am not saying everywhere is safe in Zamfara but, any mischief maker could write that nonsense and leaked it to media. Sponsors of this terrorism can go to any extent to blackmail the government."
Somadina Elosiuba said:
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"They can't trace the phone number because people are selling registered SIM cards in all northern markets."
Olorun Lose said:
"Nigeria my country where anything can happen imagine bandits writing letters even put their phone number on it."
Tinubu donates N50m to victims of Gusau attack in Zamfara state
Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that the former Lagos state governor and All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential aspirant, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, donated the sum of N50 million to families of victims of the recent killings in two local government areas of Zamfara state.
Tinubu who is popularly referred to as the national leader of the APC made the donation on Thursday, January 13 when he paid a visit to the northwest state ravaged by banditry in the last few months.
Some governors of the APC had also visited to commiserate with the government and people of the state.
Source: Legit.ng
