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In their bid to avoid being attacked by bandits in the eight frontline local government areas of Katsina State, villagers have resorted to paying monthly protection and security fees to the bandits, AIT reports.
A Public Affairs Analyst, Dr. Muttaqha Darma, who confirmed this in an interview, revealed that the amount agreed is in the neighbourhood of N150,000 monthly
Some of the villagers who could not continue the payment have deserted their homes as well as their farm lands.
Part of the means allegedly devised by the locals in the villages that usually come under attack is either to show solidarity or enter into a truce with the bandits to avoid being attacked.
Some of the villages that are allegedly involved in the act are mainly in Faskari Area Council namely; Unguwar Tsamiya, Birnin Kogo, Bangi, Kahi, and Raba as confirmed by a local to Dr Darma.
According to him, in Raba, most especially where the villagers were not able to sustain the agreement due to the fees variations by different bandit camps in Zamfara State who demanded more than N150,000 per month, said they have to flee the village for fear of the unknown.
Reacting to this allegation, the Special Adviser to Governor Aminu Masari on Security Matters, Ibrahim Katsina, confirmed the development but said those days have gone as efforts are being made to make the villagers go back to their lands.
He further assured Katsina residents and Nigerians that this year’s farming season will not be affected by the activities of the bandits as have been feared by many.
Katsina also used the medium to call on the locals to continue giving timely, accurate information, and cooperate with the security agencies to ensure they win the ongoing war against banditry.
Source: AIT
