Residents of Kebbe Town in Kebbe Local Government Area of Sokoto State are living in fear after suspected bandits allegedly demanded N40 million from the community and threatened to attack if the money is not paid.
According to The Punch, the demand was reportedly conveyed through a farmer, who was said to have delivered a telephone to the District Head of Kebbe, Mallam Lawal Labbo.
According to local sources, the bandits initially gave the community five days to raise the money but later extended the deadline following appeals from residents.
The telephone was subsequently handed over to the Divisional Police Officer in the area, sources said.
The suspected bandits reportedly warned that the telephone must remain charged and accessible, threatening to attack the community if their calls were not answered.
The Sokoto State Police Command confirmed that it was aware of the reported threat.
The command’s spokesperson, DSP Ahmed Rufai, said security operatives, including the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, had commenced efforts to verify and respond to the information.
“We are aware of the information and we, together with our Anti-Kidnapping Unit (AKU), are already working on the information,” Rufai said.
He added that the bandits had reportedly given the villagers until Sunday to raise the money.
The alleged ultimatum has heightened anxiety among residents, who fear a possible attack if the demand is not met.
Reacting to the development, the African Democratic Congress governorship candidate in Sokoto State, Hon. Manir Muhammad Dan’iya, described the situation as “grave” and urged the state and federal governments to act immediately to protect the community.
In a statement by his media aide, Aminu Abdullahi, Dan’iya said the reported N40 million demand showed the extent to which criminal groups were allegedly attempting to control the lives and economic activities of residents.
“What has happened to those promises? What has the APC government in Sokoto done differently to stop bandits from dictating terms to our communities?” he asked.
Dan’iya urged the government not to allow communities to be forced into negotiating their survival with criminal elements.
He called on Governor Ahmed Aliyu and the Federal Government to urgently increase the deployment of security personnel, intelligence assets and other operational resources to Kebbe and other vulnerable areas ahead of the reported deadline.
“Sokoto is under siege and the people cannot afford another tragedy. Government must stop treating insecurity as a political talking point and start treating it as the emergency it is,” Dan’iya said.
He also appealed to security agencies to strengthen collaboration with traditional rulers and residents in order to prevent any possible attack.
Residents, he added, should remain vigilant and cooperate with security personnel as efforts to address the threat continue.
Efforts to obtain the reaction of the District Head of Kebbe, Mallam Lawal Labbo, were unsuccessful, as he did not answer calls to his telephone as of the time of filing the report.
The latest threat comes amid persistent security challenges in parts of Sokoto State, where several communities have continued to face attacks, abductions and displacement linked to banditry.
