By Kamil Opeyemi
The village of Mutumji, Sabongari Mahuta, Kwanar Dutsi and Unguwar Kawo communities of Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State have been attacked by gunmen who abducted over 100 villagers over their failure to pay ‘harvesting’ fee.
‘Harvest’ fees are imposed on communities by bandits who take such payments to stop them from incessant attacks.
Payments are also allegedly paid to the bandits at the beginning of planting season to allow farmers access their farms. This is coming a week after some villagers were abducted in Ruwandoruwa community of the same Local Government Area.
NPO Reports gathered that the gunmen stormed the communities at about 8 pm and started shooting sporadically, forcing residents to run for safety. It was learnt that the villagers had pleaded for reductions in the levies slammed on them saying that farm yields have not been profitable this year.
Different sums of money ranging from N50m to N30m were imposed on the communities depending on their sizes and the farms.
The levy is said to be determined by a kingpin of banditry in the area, called Damina. Zamfara is a hotbed of banditry in the North-West zone of the country.