Armed bandits have reportedly abducted over 100 persons, mostly women and children in the Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State on Friday.
Reports had it that the bandits raided four villages of Mutumji, Sabongari Mahuta, Kwanar Dutsi and Unguwar Kawo, in the Maru Local Government Area because of their inability to pay the levies imposed on the communities.
Sources from Mutumji narrated how the bandits invaded the community around 8pm after prayers and started shooting sporadically, forcing residents to scamper for safety.
Residents said a bandits’ kingpin operating in the area, Damina, had imposed N110 million naira “harvesting levy” on these communities, giving them two weeks ultimatum to comply and pay.
A N50m levy was imposed on Mutumji, N30m on Kwanar Dutsi, N20m on Sabongari Mahuta and N10m on Unguwar Kawo, it was learnt.
Another report however claimed that the communities have started gathering the money when the terrorists invaded the community on Friday evening.
Several attempts to get reactions from the state government and police authorities in the state proved abortive.
