‘Bandits demanding N12m’ — Kaduna community raises alarm over threat of attack

The Birnin-Gwari Emirate Progressive Union (BEPU) says bandits have asked residents in four communities in Birnin Gwari LGA of Kaduna state to pay N12 million before they can access their farms.

According to a statement on Thursday, Ishaq Kasai, chairman of BEPU, said the bandits have given the farming communities until September 30, 2022, as deadline to meet their demand.

Kasai said the bandits have increased the rate of attacks on the communities, adding that the residents have been told to pay the money to be allowed access to their farmlands.

“Birnin-Gwari Emirate Progressive Union (BEPU) regrets to report that as farmers begin to harvest their crops, armed bandits intensified their attacks and imposed levies on some farming communities in Birnin-Gwari LGA of Kaduna State,” the statement reads.

“Six people kidnapped at farm centre on Saturday 24/9/2022 from Kwaga community and released on Wednesday 28/9/2022, after providing to the bandits – 20 mudu of rice, 20 mudu of beans, 25 litres of red oil, 25 litres of groundnut oil, and recharge card of N10,000.

“Also, the four people of Unguwan Liman who were kidnapped on Saturday, 24/9/2022, and one at Unguwan Shekarau were released yesterday, Wednesday, after payment of N2 million and N500,000, respectively.

“The union is, however, pleased to report that the five farmers earlier kidnapped on Thursday 15/9/2022 at Kurgin Gabas and Sabon-Layi areas have luckily escaped from the kidnappers’ den in the early hours of Friday 22/9/2022 after spending a week in captivity.

“Regrettably, a farmer was killed at Shiwaka community on Tuesday 27/9/2022 after being tied to a tree; and more than 20 people were kidnapped on Wednesday 28/9/2022 at different farms in Jangali and Kwaga areas.

“Another worrisome development is that the bandits informed some farming communities, including Kwaga, Kwanan-Shehu, Unguwan Liman and Unguwan Shekarau, to pay levies amounting to N12 million (N3 million each) in order for them to be allowed to continue harvesting their crops.

“These communities are given only grace of coming Friday 30/9/2022 to meet the condition, failure of which the bandits vow to kidnap any person found at farms.”

The BEPU chairman added that some of the communities have commenced contributions according to the sizes of their farmlands in order to meet the demand of the bandits.

He, however, called on the government to intervene in the situation to enable farmers access to their farmlands without fear of attacks.