Residents of Kebbe Town in Kebbe Local Government Area of Sokoto State are reportedly facing a fresh security threat after suspected bandits demanded N40 million from the community or risk an attack.
The criminals allegedly communicated the demand through a farmer, who reportedly delivered a telephone to the District Head of Kebbe, Mallam Lawal Labbo.
Sources said 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.
The suspected bandits allegedly warned that the phone must remain charged and reachable, threatening to attack the community if their calls were not answered.
Confirming the development, the Sokoto State Police Command spokesperson, DSP Ahmed Rufai, said the command was aware of the threat and had commenced efforts to address the situation.
“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 residents until Sunday to raise the demanded money.
The development has drawn condemnation from the African Democratic Congress governorship candidate in Sokoto State, Hon. Manir Muhammad Dan’iya, who described the situation as “grave.”
In a statement issued by his media aide, Aminu Abdullahi, Dan’iya called on the state and federal governments to urgently strengthen security around Kebbe and other vulnerable communities.
He said the reported levy demand was evidence of an alarming level of criminal control over residents’ lives and economic activities.
“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 warned that communities should not be left to negotiate their survival with criminal groups, urging Governor Ahmed Aliyu and the Federal Government to deploy additional security personnel, intelligence resources and operational support to the affected areas.
“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,” he said.
He further urged security agencies to strengthen collaboration with traditional rulers and local communities to forestall any possible attack.
Residents, he added, should take the reported threat seriously and cooperate with security agencies to help prevent a possible escalation of the situation.
