Photos of N20m Cash Zamfara Community Paid To Bandit Leader To Avoid Attacks

The bandit leader had asked the villagers to pay the money on or before Sunday, November 27, or face his wrath.

Photos showing the sum of N20 million cash allegedly paid as tax to bandit leader, Bello Turji, to stop him from attacking them have emerged on social media.

The money was contributed by residents of Gidan-goga village, in Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State and paid to the bandit.

The bandit leader had asked the villagers to pay the money on or before Sunday, November 27, or face his wrath.

A resident of the community said that the money was paid on Sunday and villagers who fled to other places, have started returning to their homes.

Zagazola Makama, a Counter Insurgency Expert and Security Analyst in Lake Chad, West Africa, on Wednesday, November 30, 2022, shared photos of the residents arranging the cash.

"The people of Gidangoga town in Maradun local government in Zamfara state have collected 20 million from the community and paid to Bandit as tax to save them from attacks. Maradun LGA is the home town of the Zamfara State Governor, Alhaji Bello Matawalle," he wrote.