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Sokoto under siege as bandits bar farmers from farms impose new levies
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Residents of at least 26 communities in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State have begun contributing money to pay fresh levies imposed by bandits who have also barred them from accessing their farms ahead of the wet season farming activities.
Residents told Daily Trust that the armed groups issued a three-day ultimatum, warning farmers not to visit their farmlands until the levies demanded from the affected communities were paid.
According to the sources, the affected communities include; Garin Faji, Cina Barka, Zululu, Dan Gari, Garin Maigayya, Gardi, Katsira, Garin Baushe, Sulmawa, Zakin Ganga, Dan Kware, Garje, Dogon Faru, Son Allah, Garin Galadima, Kafchi, Matabaya, Garin Labo, Zango, Kaifin Aska, Tsauna Dogo, Tudun Wada, Rambadawa, Ga Itace, Nasarawa and Garin Idi.
A resident who maintains close contact with people in the affected villages said the bandits threatened to kill or abduct anyone found farming during the period.
“The communities were given three days. They said nobody should go to the farms until the money is paid. Anyone caught farming would either be killed or kidnapped and would not regain freedom until a ransom of N500,000 is paid,” he said.
He said residents had already started contributing money to meet the demands.
A resident of Zululu village, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said he was preparing to go to his farm on Friday when he learnt of the directive.
“We were told that the bandits had banned farming activities for three days until the villages paid the levies they impose every year.
“They said they could have allowed people to go to their farms and then kill some and abduct others, but they wanted the money instead.
According to them, security operatives have been seizing their livestock, so no farming would take place until the levies were paid,” he said.
He said traditional rulers and Islamic clerics from the affected communities were expected to meet with the bandits to determine how much each village would pay before residents could resume farming.
The resident said the communities had been subjected to such payments for years.
“We pay before planting and sometimes every two or three months. Even after paying now, they may return in about three months and say nobody should harvest millet until another levy is paid.
“They usually demand between N4 million and N6 million from a community. Villagers contribute according to their means. Some households pay N1,500 or N2,000, while in some villages farmers contribute as much as N5,000 each depending on the population,” he said.
Another source, who is an indigene of Garin Idi village and currently residing in Sabon Birni town, who visited the community on Friday to sympathise with residents following the abduction of about 20 people in the early hours of the day, confirmed that the affected communities had already started raising money to pay the levies.
He alleged that when the bandits felt the payments were being delayed, they stormed Garin Idi and abducted about 20 people on Friday.
“They later told community leaders that N600,000 must be paid before the victims could be released. The money was raised and paid, leading to the release of the abductees on Friday,” he said.
The source added that five other persons were still being held captive.
“As of now, there are still five people in their custody. They said they will not release them until the levy is paid. Even after farming, they may still prevent people from harvesting until fresh payments are made,” he said.
He further alleged that farmers are often compelled to surrender part of their harvest to the bandits before they are allowed to store food in their barns.
“Every year, after harvesting, they demand part of the produce from farmers before allowing them to store their crops. This has become a recurring burden on our communities,” he said.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer in Sokoto State, DSP Ahmad Rufai, said the command was not aware of the development.
“We are not aware of such a situation. Most times, communities do not report these kinds of incidents to security agencies,” he said.
Efforts to get the reaction of the Sokoto State Government were unsuccessful. Text and WhatsApp messages sent to the governor’s spokesman, Abubakar Bawa, and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters, Col. Ahmad Usman (rtd), seeking their comments on the allegations had not been responded to as of the time of filing this report.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called on the Nigerian judiciary to ensure the delivery of fair and timely justice, warning that a compromised legal system poses a threat to democratic stability.
The president made the call on Monday during the commissioning of the Court of Appeal Abuja Division building complex in Dakibiyu, Abuja.
The development was disclosed in a statement posted on the official page of Vice President Kashim Shettima, who represented the President at the event.
According to the statement, Tinubu expressed concern over delays in the administration of justice and the growing frustration among citizens over prolonged court cases and case backlogs.
He said the justice system must remain accessible, fair and efficient to sustain public confidence in the judiciary.
“To my Lords Justices, as you move into this complex, Nigeria asks one thing of you: let justice be swift. Let it be fair. Let it be blind to status, tribe, or purse. Let the common man feel that this Court is truly his last hope,” Tinubu said.
The president stated that the newly commissioned Court of Appeal complex reflects his administration’s commitment to strengthening the justice sector under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
According to him, providing a befitting working environment for judicial officers remains part of efforts to improve the effectiveness of the nation’s justice system.
The Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna on Monday adjourned the trial of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai to June 24, 2026, following the failure of two co-defendants to appear before the court.
El-Rufai, who is being prosecuted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over allegations of abuse of office, financial impropriety, and fraud during his tenure as governor, was present in court when the matter was called.
The former governor arrived at the court premises at about 9:30 a.m., accompanied by officials of the ICPC, as well as operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force.
However, proceedings could not continue as scheduled after two other defendants named in the charge failed to appear before the court.
Following submissions by counsel, the presiding judge adjourned the matter to June 24, 2026, for the continuation of the hearing.
El-Rufai has consistently denied all allegations levelled against him, insisting that all actions taken during his administration were carried out in accordance with the law and established procedures.
The ICPC, on its part, alleges that public funds were released for projects that were either not executed or were improperly handled during the former governor’s administration.
The anti-corruption agency maintains that the charges against the defendants are supported by evidence gathered during its investigations and has expressed readiness to prosecute the case to its logical conclusion.
At previous sittings, the court had entertained arguments relating to bail conditions and preliminary applications filed by the defence team.
Monday’s proceedings were expected to feature further arguments on pending motions before the unexpected absence of the two co-defendants stalled the hearing.
The trial has continued to attract considerable public attention, given El-Rufai’s prominence in national politics and his eight-year tenure as governor of Kaduna State between 2015 and 2023.
With the matter now adjourned, both the prosecution and defence teams are expected to return to court on June 24 for the continuation of proceedings.
Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, ahead of the 2027 polls, Peter Obi, has condemned in very strong terms the order given by the Federal High Court in Abuja that the African Democratic Congress, ADC, and four other parties should be deregistered for failing to meet constitutional requirements.
The former Anambra State governor, who took a swipe at the pronouncement, warned that the nation’s sacred institutions must not be sacrificed on the altar of politics.
Reacting to the Federal High Court ruling on Monday deregistering some political parties, including ADC, Obi remarked that the nation rises when institutions are stronger and not when they’re politicised.
Justice Peter Lifu ruled Monday that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, must deregister ADC, Accord, Action Alliance, AA, Action Peoples Party, APP, and Zenith Labour Party, ZLP, after they failed to secure 25% of votes in the last general elections.
Writing on his X handle, the 2023 Labour Party Presidential Candidate said, “When the controversy surrounding the removal of the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, unfolded, I expressed a concern to a friend: that the greatest damage might not be immediate, but the message it sends about the sanctity and independence of our institutions to the world.”
“Strong economies are built on trust. Investors can manage security risks, policy risks, and even market risks. What they fear most is uncertainty in the rule of law and a judiciary that is perceived to be vulnerable to political pressure.
“Today, many Nigerians have lost confidence in systems that should protect them. Businesses increasingly request that their contracts be governed by foreign jurisdictions because they have greater confidence in those institutions than in our own. That should concern every patriot.
“We must never sacrifice our sacred institutions on the altar of politics. Nations rise when institutions are stronger than individuals. The Federal High Court judgment ordering the deregistration of the ADC and other political parties is just one of those activities that further reduces the common man’s trust in our legal systems; it should be reversed.
“I pledge that we will restore the dignity, independence, and integrity of the judiciary. The common man must have a voice. The business community must be protected from legal uncertainty and intimidation. Justice must be impartial, accessible, and respected by all.
“To our judges, legal luminaries, senior advocates, and lawyers: this is your moment. Rise, defend the rule of law, take back your country! A new Nigeria is possible.”
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Deliver justice fast, ignore tribe, status – Tinubu to judges
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