Farmers in Gatakawa, a rural community in Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State, are reportedly being forced to pay a N20 million levy to bandits before they can access their farms for harvest.
The disturbing revelation was made by security analyst, Bakatsine, via his X (formerly Twitter) handle on Wednesday, November 12, 2025.
He described the situation as “a chilling reflection of worsening insecurity and lawlessness gripping the North West.”
According to Bakatsine, the illegal tax has left residents in fear and financial distress.
“For many in Kankara, the so-called peace arrangements have turned into a nightmare. Families now sell personal belongings or go into debt just to meet the bandits’ demands,” he stated.
He explained that the farmers’ plight exposes the growing impunity of armed groups operating across the region.
The extortion, he warned, could lead to dire food shortages as farmers are either abandoning their fields or surrendering their produce under threat.
“This kind of extortion doesn’t just impoverish the victims,” Bakatsine added, “it undermines public trust in government institutions and discourages agricultural production, which is the backbone of these communities.”
Observers fear that the continuous harassment of rural dwellers could worsen the already fragile food security situation in the country.
Moreover, the incident underscores the failure of existing security frameworks and peace pacts to safeguard vulnerable communities.
As of press time, authorities in Katsina have not issued an official response regarding the reported levy or the broader implications for farmers in the area.