A fresh wave of fear has gripped Yargoje and neighbouring villages in Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State after notorious bandit leader Mustapha Babaro reportedly imposed a ₦50 million levy on the area.
The freighting development was revealed on Sunday by security analyst Bakatsine in a post on his X handle, causing fresh concerns over the increasing audacity of criminal gangs in the state.
According to Bakatsine, residents said Babaro delivered a chilling ultimatum on Saturday, ordering communities to gather the demanded sum within a specific deadline or face dire consequences.
“Notorious armed bandit leader Mustapha Babaro has reportedly imposed a ₦50m levy on Yargoje and communities surrounding it, Kankara LGA, Katsina State.
“Residents say he issued a stern warning to villages yesterday that failing to pay within the set deadline will have repercussions,” Bakatsine wrote.
He further raised questions about the effectiveness of recent peace efforts in the region, noting, “If this can happen in an LGA that held two peace parleys with bandits in less than 3 months, what kind of truce are local authorities in Katsina State actually reaching and how effective is it in protecting communities?.”
As of the time of filing this report, state authorities have not issued any official response to the latest threat, leaving residents anxious over what comes next.
