Infamous bandit leader Bello Turji has reportedly imposed a N50 million ransom demand on rural farming communities in Zamfara and parts of Niger State, demanding payment in exchange for “safe access” to their farmlands this rainy season.
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According to security analyst Bakatsine, who posted the update via his X handle, Turji has issued the threat to residents of Tsalaken Gulbi in Fakai village, located in Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara State. The demand reportedly extends across the border to Qaya, a farming settlement near Niger State.
“Farmers can only go to their farms in peace if they pay N50 million. No pay, no farming,” Bakatsine wrote.
This “farming tax” is part of a disturbing pattern in which armed groups extort rural communities across Nigeria’s northern regions. In many cases, villagers have been forced to make similar payments during both planting and harvest seasons.
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Despite paying, some communities still report violent attacks, theft of produce, and even killings by the same bandits they paid for protection. The situation has crippled food production and deepened hunger in Nigeria’s already fragile regions.
Security analysts say Turji’s recent demand is part of a broader resurgence of bandit activity in Northwest Nigeria, as government forces struggle to maintain control over rural zones.
Residents and farmers in affected communities have expressed fear and helplessness, calling on the Nigerian government to intervene decisively before the planting season is lost.
A farmer from Zamfara who requested anonymity told Qubes Magazine:
“We are tired of living like this. If the government won’t protect us, we might abandon farming entirely.”
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Despite several military offensives against bandit groups, including airstrikes and joint task force deployments, leaders like Turji continue to operate with impunity, especially in forested areas with limited state presence.
This growing extortion racket not only threatens food security but also undermines public confidence in law enforcement across Nigeria’s northern belt.
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Tags:
Agricultural Insecurity
Banditry
Metro
National Security
Northern Nigeria Crisis
Rural Extortion
Zamfara News