Tax Seeking Gunmen Abduct 100 Zamfara Villagers Over Non-Payment Of Harvesting Fees

More than 100 people in 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.

Osun Defender gathered that the bandits have been terrorizing the communities as they could not pay the levies imposed on them.

A villager from Mutumji, Alhaji Muhammad Usman told our correspondent that the bandits stormed the community at about 8 pm and started shooting sporadically, forcing residents to run for safety.

According to the villager, the bandits’ kingpin in the area, Damina, had earlier imposed N110 million on the communities as harvesting levies, giving them two weeks ultimatum to comply or face the consequences.

“N50m levy was imposed on our community, while N30m was imposed on Kwanar Dutsi; N20m on Sabongari Mahuta, and N10m on Unguwar Kawo”, he added.

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

The spokesman of the State’s Police command could not be reached as of the time of filing this report.

The incident came a week after some villagers were abducted in 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.