Communities in Shiroro Local Government Area, Niger State, are living under constant threat from armed bandits, with residents forced to pay millions of naira to secure their safety. Villages including Makera, Galapai, Chukuba, Ushaka, Manini, Kawuri, Bakarie, Utako, and Magana are reportedly under the control of these criminal groups, leaving locals exposed and security forces largely absent.

A resident of Galadima ward, Alhaji Yahaya, spoke to an online radio programme, Tsalle Daya, explaining that daily negotiations with bandits have become part of life in these communities. “We pay N7 million levies to bandits just to live here,” he lamented. He added that the financial and psychological burden on residents is immense, as refusal to comply could mean losing their homes or even their lives.

Yahaya described the limited presence of security forces, noting that even where patrols exist, they are insufficient to cover all affected areas. “The only places with a bit of security presence are from Galadima to Erena, but the adjoining communities remain under bandit control,” he said. He further revealed that the villagers recently paid another N7 million as part of a so-called “peace deal,” highlighting how entrenched this system of extortion has become over the past three years.

Even local resistance efforts have failed. Yahaya shared his experience as a former vigilante, recounting that his wife was abducted, and the family had to pay ransom for her release. “I quit the vigilante job because there is no way we can defeat the terrorists,” he explained.

He concluded with a direct plea to the state government for intervention. “We have tried everything, but nothing has worked. We are appealing to Governor Umaru Bago to hear our cries and come to our rescue,” Yahaya urged.