Bandits in some parts of Sokoto State have been reported to have asked the people to pay levies before next Friday or risk attack.

According to Daily Trust the bandits who barred the populace from their farms looked the population of each community before asking them to pay the amounts

A resident who spoke said that: “Some are asked to pay N400,000, some N700,000 while some even pay less than that and is left for the community to decide how the money will be raised.

“In some communities, heads of households are asked to pay N2,000 each and young men that are not married pay N1,000 each,” another source said.

Findings revealed that Attalawa, Danmaliki, Adamawa, Dukkuma, Sardauna and Dangari villages were asked to pay N400,000 each.

However, residents of Kwatsal village billed N4million were said to have already paid N2million out of the money to the bandits.

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“All the villages were given up to Friday to pay the money or risk attack. People are paying because they have no other option,” one of the sources added.

Daily Trust reported that a member representing Sabon Birni North Constituency, Aminu Almustapha Gobir, who confirmed the development, said there had been no attack in Sabon Birni in recent times because the locals were complying with the directive of the bandits.

“The people prefer to pay and live in peace in their communities than to rely on security agencies or go on exile,” he said.