Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A wave of terror has descended on Kebbe town in Kebbe Local Government Area of Sokoto State after armed bandits issued a chilling ultimatum to the community, demanding a N40 million levy and threatening to kill residents and burn the town if their demand is not met. The incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon, September 1, 2026, when the bandits reportedly sent a phone through a farmer to the District Head of Kebbe, giving the community an initial five-day deadline, which was later extended to seven days following pleas from the residents. The phone was subsequently handed over to the Divisional Police Officer in the area, but the bandits allegedly warned the DPO to keep the device charged and reachable, threatening to attack if their calls were not answered.
According to local sources who spoke with SaharaReporters, the development has left residents facing an impossible choice, with many unsure of how to respond to the threat. "They said if we don't pay, they will kill us and burn the town," a resident told our correspondent on condition of anonymity. "Some people are talking about pooling money together, but N40 million is too much for a community like ours. We don't know what to do". The bandits' warning to the DPO has further complicated the situation, as security forces appear to be under pressure to facilitate communication with the criminals while residents live in fear of the approaching deadline.
The demand for a N40 million levy follows a pattern of extortion that has become increasingly common in parts of Sokoto and neighbouring states, where armed groups have imposed so-called "peace taxes" on rural communities, collecting millions of naira from farmers and residents in exchange for access to farmlands and freedom from attacks. In June 2026, bandits imposed fresh multi-million-naira levies on at least 26 communities in the Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State, with demands ranging between N4 million and N6 million per community. The Kebbe incident represents a significant escalation, both in the amount demanded and the direct threat to the community's existence.
The attack on Kebbe comes just weeks after a brutal assault on the same town on August 14, 2026, when suspected Lakurawa fighters invaded Kebbe, killing four soldiers and looting shops. In that attack, the gunmen, reportedly numbering more than 300, stormed the town around 10 a.m., prompting soldiers stationed at a military base on the outskirts of the town to engage them. The bandits moved freely around the town, carting away mobile phones, food items and petrol. The latest threat suggests that criminal groups are not only continuing their attacks but are now seeking to institutionalise their control over communities through systematic extortion.
The Kebbe community's ordeal highlights the growing helplessness of rural communities in Nigeria's North-West, where residents are increasingly forced to choose between paying extortionate levies to armed groups or facing violence and displacement. The demand for N40 million is particularly staggering for a community that has already been battered by repeated attacks, displacement, and economic hardship. The fact that the bandits are dictating terms to the local DPO underscores the extent to which state authority has been eroded in parts of the region, where criminals operate with impunity and security forces are often outgunned and outmanoeuvred.
As the seven-day deadline approaches, the people of Kebbe are left to grapple with an impossible decision: pay a ransom they cannot afford or risk annihilation. The government and security agencies have yet to issue an official statement on the incident, but the community's plea for help has been loud and clear. The question on everyone's lips is: what will happen when the deadline expires, and will the government finally act to protect a community that has been abandoned to its fate?
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments