The people of Bakale village in the Kilgori division of Sokoto State’s Yabo Local Government Area have been told to pay a N20 million tax to stop deadly attacks.
According to Daily Trust, our correspondent got an audio recording in which the leader of the armed group told the village head to call a meeting with the people and tell them what they wanted.
The recording showed the bandit asking the traditional leader about an order that had been given earlier.
“Did you talk to them? He inquired, “Did they agree to follow your orders?”
The bandit told the village head to call the people back and tell them about the new N20 million tax once he said yes.
“We don’t want to hurt you.” The bandit answered, “That’s why we decided to put this tax on you.”
“I promise you will live in peace if you pay.” We won’t let any group attack your community or take your people. But if you don’t pay, we’ll assault you, murder you, and take your people. This is what we want to say.
A community leader, who asked not to be named, said that similar taxes had been put in place in a number of nearby settlements.
The villages that were affected are in the Kilgori and Torankawa districts. Some of them are Bazar, Alkalije, Gari, Bakale, Dagel, Adarawa, Kwaidaza, Kilgori Runji, Tudu, Tile, Kibiyare, and Barmadu.
The source says that the taxes are between N3 million and N20 million, depending on how big each community is.
He also said that two weeks ago, six persons were killed in Alkalije and four in Tile in separate incidents.
Our reporter tried many times to get a comment from the Sokoto State Police Command, but their spokesperson, DSP Ahmad Rufa’i, did not answer.
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