The situation in Moriki town, Zurmi LGA of Zamfara State, reflects a tense and challenging scenario. The villagers are under significant pressure from the bandit leader, Bello Turji, who has reduced the ransom demand from N50 million to N30 million. This ransom is allegedly to compensate for the killing of his cows by a new Army base commander in the area.
To meet the ransom demand, each family head is required to contribute N10,000, while unmarried adults are expected to pay N2,000. Despite the Army commander’s assurance that he would not harm Turji’s animals again and his advice against paying the ransom, the villagers are proceeding with the payment. Their fear of further attacks and lack of effective protection is driving them to comply with Turji’s demands.
Additionally, the situation is compounded by the fact that around fifteen local politicians and social activists remain in Turji’s custody, having been abducted despite the presence of soldiers in the village. This ongoing hostage crisis highlights the severe security challenges facing the region and the complex dynamics between local communities, bandit leaders, and security forces.