Bandits have continued to collect levies from farmers in Birnin Gwari, even after the restoration of telecommunication services in the state, Alhaji Zubairu Abdurra’uf ,an indigene and traditional title holder of ‘Dan Masanin Birnin Gwari has said.
Reports from.Birnin Gwari and from other parts of Kaduna State, indicated that the bandits have committed nefarious acts with impunity, after the authorities restored telecommunication services in the state.
Some natives from Birnin Gwari said the bandits had denied farmers in the area from conveying the farm.produce they harvested,in spite of the series of counter attacks by the nation’s security agencies.
Alhaji Zubairu Idris Abdurra’uf,the Ɗan Masanin Birnin Gwari ,told the BBC Hausa that ” restoring the telecommunication services had afforded the people of Birnin Gwari the opportunity to communicate with each other and with the security agencies ,anytime the bandits attacked.”
“The soldiers have bombarded Birnin Gwari forests,but it appeared nothing has changed about insecurity in the area. The situation now is like nothing has changed, bandits are attacking, even though the security agents are also attacking them, till date, attacks on communities have not stopped, ” he said.
He said the disturbing fact was that the bandits were currently imposing tax on farm produce and farmers must pay or be dealt with.
Many farmers will lose their farm products ,the bandits have denied them access to their farms unless they pay tax before they will be allowed to harvest the crops. “
Reports in recent times, said the Nigerian military succeeded in destabilising a gang of bandits that had been terrorising travelers plying the Kaduna-Abuja road, where over 45 bandits were killed including their kingpin ,Ali Kwaja.
(Vanguard)