Bandits operating in Northwestern Nigeria have reportedly demanded a N20 million levy from farmers in Gatakawa, Kankara Local Government Area, Katsina State before allowing them to harvest their crops.

The development was highlighted on X by Bakatsine, a journalist covering insecurity in Nigeria’s northwest. According to the report, the bandits’ demands have intensified fear among local farmers.

Bakatsine criticized ongoing peace deals between bandits and communities in the region, arguing that instead of ensuring safety, they have exacerbated the sense of insecurity. Families are reportedly forced to sell belongings or borrow money to meet the bandits’ demands before accessing their farmland.

He warned that beyond the immediate human toll, such extortion threatens food security and undermines public confidence in the authorities’ ability to protect rural communities.