BENUE: Bandits order Torough community to pay N20m levy or risk invasion

According to community sources, local militias have vowed to launch an attack if the money is not paid within the next several days.

As a result of the threat,information gathered reveals that people of the neighbourhood have shared the sum with each house, resulting in 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 attack of the bandits.”

One of the sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of being assassinated, stated, “The money has already been distributed according to household, but the minimum amount is N50,000.”

The source went on to say that no one in the village, including the village head, would dare to report the incident to security for fear of inciting the local militia.

Another report claimed that the local government is aware of the development.

Ukum LGA is a hotbed of crime in the state, with homicides and kidnappings reigning supreme.

Recall that notable people, including the state Commissioner for Information, Culture, and Tourism, Matthew Abo, and former local government chairmen, have been kidnapped in the past in this local government.

When reached, the head of the local government, Victor Iorzaa, verified the development and stated that he had informed the police and the state security council.

The chairman identified a notorious militia leader, Full Fire, as the one behind the development.

Iorzaa said, “The report is true, and the person behind it is Full Fire. He was the person that connived with Fulani recently to attack our people; he has been working with Fulani people and terrorising the area for the past five years.

“He is a bandit. If you remember, two weeks ago, the military launched an attack on his house.

“The people of the area are living in fear that the community is the most troubled place in the LG. If one is going to the village, don’t be surprised that before you get there, the person will be attacked.

“I have reported the matter to the police and also the state security council. Full Fire lives at the border community with Taraba State. ”

While commending the state governor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia, for his efforts at combating crime in the state, the local government chairman also applauded security operatives for curtailing the excesses of the militias.

He added, “But security operatives are doing their best to curtail them.”

Meanwhile, the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Catherine Anene, has stated that if such an incident occurred, it would not have been reported to the command.

In addition, Joseph Har, the Governor’s Security Adviser, stated that bandits were on the run in the state and could not afford to collect taxes from communities.

Har maintained that Alia’s administration was doing everything possible to reduce the operations of bandits, kidnappers, and militias, among others, in the state.

Har said, “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.”