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BREAKING: “Pay Us N20 Million Monthly Levy Or We Will Kill You”, Armed Bandits Threatens Benue Communities
As a result, indigenes and residents of the community had shared the total sum of the levy with each household capped at N50,000 to appease the untamed armed bandits.
The indigenes and residents of Torough and nearby communities in Ukum Local Goverment Area of Benue State are now living in bondage as they have began selling their farm produce in order to raise the N20 million levy slammed on them by armed bandits.
According to sources in the community, the notorious armed bandits have threatened to unleash mayhem on the communities if the N20 million levy and taxes are not paid few days from the date of the issued threat.
As a result, indigenes and residents of the community had shared the total sum of the levy with each household capped at N50,000 to appease the untamed armed bandits.
A source in the community who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of being killed said, “Already, the money has been shared according to household, but the least amount is N50,000.
“Some have started disposing of their farm produce and livestock to raise the levy, while others have contacted their relatives outside to raise the levy so as to avert the mayhem threatened by the bandits.
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“We are more or less in bondage here. There is no complete freedom of movement, association or expression. These militia boys are very deadly and powerful here in our Sankera axis.
“The whole of the three LGAs in Sankera made up of Logo, Ukum and Katsina-Ala are affected by this madness. These boys have a very strong communication network for their business. They monitor everything.
“So, when the news about the N20 million came to us, nobody dared report to security agencies. You and your family will be eliminated in broad daylight. We are paying the N50,000 levied each household. Some traditional compounds that have many households are levied N1 million.”
Another source said that the local government authorities are aware of the sad development in the community.
The LGA chairman, Victor Iorzaa, confirmed the development and said that he had reported the situation to the police and state security council.
He identified a notorious bandit leader, nicknamed “Full Fire” as the person behind the development
In his words, “The report is true, and the person behind it is Full Fire. He was the person that connived with armed Fulani herdsmen recently to attack Tiv people; he has been working with Fulani people and terrorising the area for the past five years.
“I have reported the matter to the police and also the state security council. Full Fire lives at the border community with Taraba State. ”
“The man has been terrorising the area for the past five years but the government of Governor Hyacinth Alia is working hard to put an end to their activities.
Also, the Security Adviser to the Governor, Joseph Har, said bandits were on the run in the state and could not have the luxury of collecting tax from the villagers.
“The issue of this illegal levy has become a common practice with bandits everywhere worldwide because they use it to survive. However, only an irresponsible government will fold its hands to allow that callous thing to happen.
“The criminals have been having a very tough time recently, and they are really having the heat and can’t have the balls to wait and collect any tax.
“Most of them have fled their camps (you can find out) and we intend to sustain the momentum until we run them down or they surrender. There is reduction in the impunity of these bandits and the basket will get filled again.”