Villagers in Zamfara have paid over ₦500 million this year alone to bandits demanding money in exchange for safety. In Maru and Tsafe LGAs, residents are selling their last assets to meet fresh demands as military raids trigger retaliation.
One villager said, “We’ve paid levies three times. We’re broke. They’ve taken everything.”
Security agencies say action is underway, but locals remain trapped between fear and extortion.
