Bandits Demand ₦5m ‘Peace Levy’ From Katsina Farmers to Secure Harvest

Farmers in Ilali village, Katsina State, say they have been forced to negotiate their survival with armed bandits, who allegedly imposed a ₦5 million levy as the price for safe access to their farmlands during this year’s harvest.

Residents described the payment as a “peace levy,” lamenting that it has become a recurring ordeal for rural communities caught between livelihood and insecurity.

A security analyst, Bakatsine, revealed the development in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, noting that the levy was presented by the assailants as a fee for peace and safety.

“The residents of Ilali village in Katsina State have reportedly been ordered to pay ₦5 million to bandits. The demand is said to be framed as a condition for safe access to farmlands,” he wrote.

Eyewitnesses in the community told journalists that farmers are now living in fear, uncertain whether to risk their lives on their farmlands or abandon this year’s harvest.

“We cannot farm freely anymore. They come with their guns and dictate how we live. If we don’t pay, they threaten to attack us during harvest,” said one farmer, who asked not to be named for security reasons.

Another resident described the situation as “a heavy burden on poor farmers struggling to feed their families,” adding that the community feels abandoned.

As of press time, neither the Katsina State Government nor security authorities had issued an official response to the claims.