Residents of several villages in Niger State have reported they’re been forced to pay millions of naira in levies to armed bandits just to stay alive.

The affected areas — Makera, Galapai, Chukuba, Ushaka, Manini, Kawuri, Bakarie, Utako, and Magana — all in Shiroro Local Government Area, have reportedly been under siege for years.

Locals say the terrorists control large parts of the territory, while government security forces rarely patrol beyond the main towns.

Alhaji Yahaya, a resident of Galadima ward, told Tsalle Daya radio that life in the villages has turned into a cycle of fear and negotiation.

“There is no peace in our communities. Every day we engage in talks with the bandits,” he said.

He explained that villagers now see the payments as the only way to avoid attacks. “Communities starting from Makera to Magana are under siege. We pay ₦7 million levies to bandits to live in our communities,” Yahaya lamented.

‘No Government Presence’

According to him, only areas between Galadima and Erena have some form of military presence. The rest remain vulnerable, with the few stationed soldiers barely responding to distress calls.

“There is a place now called Unguwar Kawo. Even when terrorists raid, the military doesn’t respond,” he said.

He added that a week ago, the communities were forced to pay another ₦7 million as part of a new “peace deal.”

“Anybody who doesn’t pay will have to leave the community. And this is what we have been doing for three years now,” he revealed.

Yahaya said the levies are imposed on every married man, and bandits often visit in large numbers at night, staying with village heads until they collect money.

“They come heavily armed and don’t leave until money is given to them,” he recounted.

Yahaya, who once served as a vigilante, said many locals who tried to defend themselves have given up after losing relatives.

“I was a vigilante personnel, but I quit because there is no way we can defeat the terrorists. While serving, my wife was abducted, and we paid ransom for her release,” he recalled.

He appealed to Governor Umaru Bago and security agencies to act urgently before the communities are completely deserted.