Tension as bandits commander, Turji releases names of Sokoto communities to pay taxes, issues ultimatum [Full list]

Bandits operating in Sokoto State under the leadership of a notorious Commander, Bello Turji have imposed taxes to about 42 communities to pay.

Deadline for the payment has also been set, according to a local media which interacted with the locals.

The bandits leader, Turji reportedly relocated from Zamfara to Sokoto in the heat of military onslaught which led to the seizure of network for security reasons.

However, Sokoto communities haven’t had rest since the bandits leader relocated into the forest where he was said to have built his camp.

As part of his operations, he has dethroned some district heads and imposed commanders under him which he told the affected villagers to shift loyalty to his installed village heads.

Speaking on the development, a village said:
“If we don’t pay the taxes, they’ll kill our people.

“There is nothing we can do since the government has shown that they can’t help us.”

Since the levies were imposed in October, residents of the affected communities have had sleepless nights rallying around to raise the funds.

Over 40 under-policed villages in Sabon Birnin have had to pay over N67 million to fill bandits’ pockets.

Meanwhile, northwest bandits are capturing villages misgoverned by state and federal authorities. On Sunday, news from Sokoto was dominated by accounts of villagers lamenting how bandits imposed new district heads on them after capturing their villages.

“Some of the communities paid N1.5 million each while others paid up to N2 million or even N4 million across three wards,” FIJ quoted a villager as saying after his community paid to bandits.

“Everyone in the village was asked to pay N5,000. Everybody paid. I also paid. It was compulsory payment.”

A youth leader in one of the terrorised villages said complying with bandits’ directives was the only way their safety could be ensured. He said recent events in the communities had discouraged him to convince his people to vote for any politicians in subsequent elections.

“Recently, we made some payments,” he said.
“We paid the money not because we so wished, but because we didn’t have any other option. I observed that some villages had paid before us. Definitely, if we didn’t pay, they might attack us.”

Despite paying millions to bandits, the victimised residents are still uncertain, knowing that the ongoing ceasefire is just temporary.

After interviews with local sources, village heads, and community journalists, below are names of villages that have paid millions of naira in taxes to bandits;

1- Kwatsal N3million
2- Kwarengamba N4million
3- Dakwaro N2.5million
4- Masawa N2milliom
5- Kuzari N2.5million
6- Dogon Marke N3million
7- Kuka N1.5million
8- Kaifin Aska N2million
9- Allakiru N2million
10- Gomozo N3million
11- Ayifara N1.5million
12- Dan Aduwa N1.5million
13- Garki N4million
14- Katuma N2.5million
15- Garin Idi N1million
16- Rambaɗawa N500,000
17- Tudun Wanda N370,000
18- Nasarawa N600,000
19- Zangon Ga Itace N300,000
20- Makuwana N1million
21- Tsauna N200,000
22- Tagirke N2.1million
23- Adarawa N1.8million
24- Atallawa N800,000
25- Kiratawa N2.1million
26- Hawan Diran N80,000
27- Dukkuma N2.1million
28- Takaki N600,000
29- Dubai N100,000
30- Dan Maliki N400,000
31- Bore N2million
32- Mallamawa N1million
33- Kimba N1.85million
34- Katsira N1.5million
35- Faru N4million
36- Dungurum N500,000
37- Jinjira N4million
38- Walkiya Sabuwa N1million
39- Walkiya Tsohuwa N300,000
40- Kitamau N600,000
41- Gangara N1.5million
42- Zangon Abamu N2million
TOTAL N66,620,000