Farmers in Birnin-Gwari towns in Birnin-Gwari local government area of Kaduna State had to pay a charge of N10 million to bandits. Farmers were urged to pay the fine or give up farming this season.
The Birnin-Gwari Emirate Progressive Union (BEPU) made the threat from the bandits public. In a statement he released to congratulate President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (Dakaren Birnin-Gwari), Mr. Ishaq Usman Kasai, chairman of BEPU, revealed this and pleaded with him to address the security issues in the council and, therefore, Kaduna State.
Unsettlingly, the criminals still levy fines on the local farming communities, the man claimed. Just this week, the bandits demanded N10 million in levies from three farming communities, Sabon-Layi, Tashar Keji, and Ruwan Rana, and gave them three days to comply with their demands before being assaulted.
He continued by saying that the insecurity in their region, where Birnin-Gwari people are regularly kidnapped and killed by bandits, is a serious cause for concern. He claimed that since the economy of Birnin-Gwari is largely dependent on farming, it has been severely crippled and that people can no longer access their farmlands because of the insecurity. He mentioned that most elementary schools were closed, and that the suspension of transportation had an impact on trade.
He said that robbers practically daily ransack farming settlements and that daily internal displacement of people, mostly women and children, occurs. “Even now, while I write this message of congratulations, the neighborhood is in mourning since just last Sunday night, robbers riding motorbikes and armed with various firearms invaded and looted Dadin Kowa village.
A number of people, including women and children, were abducted on the road along Dogon Hawa, only a little more than two kilometers from the major town of Birnin-Gwari, on Sunday, May 5, 2023—a day before your inauguration.
He bemoaned the fact that these had grown commonplace and stated, “In fact, just three days ago, bandits raided Birnin-Gwari city and kidnapped people, including teenage females. On their way to school, some students in Birnin-Gwari’s eastern region were kidnapped; they have now been held captive for more than 100 days. We do, however, hope that this administration will act swiftly to resolve this issue.
“As the President of Nigeria, His Excellency has the power to ensure that the people of Birnin-Gwari live their lives in peace and security where they can freely continue to exploit economic and educational potentials without fear of attacks by these terrorists,” he pleaded with Tinubu.
In addition, BEPU asked TInubu to make inclusivity and unity a top priority in his administration, creating an atmosphere where all Nigerians would feel heard and represented. He gave Tinubu the advice to support diversity, aggressively work to address gaps, and build a cohesive society that benefits from its multiculturalism.
