A fresh wave of anxiety has gripped residents of Ƙurar Mota in Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara State after a notorious bandit faction allegedly imposed a N30 million levy on the community and issued a four-day deadline to deliver the cash in sacks.
Security analyst Bakatsine disclosed the development publicly on Friday morning through his official X page, revealing that the armed group delivered their demands on Thursday, December 4, and warned of dire consequences should the community fail to comply.
Moreover, he added that the ultimatum has intensified longstanding fears among locals who have endured repeated kidnappings and violent raids.
According to the analyst, not less than 40 individuals from the community are still in captivity, further raising tensions as family members grapple with uncertainty and escalating threats.
He noted that residents are increasingly frustrated with what they describe as “coercive taxation,” imposed by criminal elements that continue to fill the vacuum created by insufficient state protection.
“People are asking how sustainable this forced revenue system is and for how long ordinary citizens can endure such pressure without stronger and more coordinated government intervention,” Bakatsine said.
Zamfara has remained one of the most volatile epicentres of banditry in northern Nigeria, where ransom payments, forced levies, and mass abductions have evolved into a parallel economy controlled by armed groups.
Furthermore, security analysts warn that the unchecked proliferation of weapons and funding through extortion could entrench criminal governance structures in rural communities.
Residents of Ƙurar Mota are now calling on state and federal authorities to act swiftly to secure the release of those held hostage and forestall another attack.
The unfolding situation underscores the broader challenge confronting Nigeria’s security architecture as communities continue battling for survival amid dwindling protection and rising criminal networks.
The conversation on whether government forces can reclaim full control over rural Zamfara persists, and the answer will shape the fate of thousands living under the shadow of bandit insurgency.