Terrorists have threatened to launch deadly attacks on nine communities in Zamfara unless they pay their levies.

The terrorists, operating in the Gando forest in Bukkuyum local government area of Zamfara State, declared the threats via a letter sent to the nine communities.

The letters, reported by PREMIUM TIMES, were written in the Hausa language and addressed to the different communities.

Each of the letters has the name of the community on the top and the money it is expected to pay.

There was also a mobile phone number written on the letters.

One of the letters read, “Yargalma. N5,000,000. From Dogon Sabi na Auwali Wanzam. You people should reach out to us for peace. Come and pay us money or vacate your town. Respect this and live in peace.”

All the letters bore the same contents except the title of the town and the amount the bandits are seeking.

According to the letters, the Zugu district with five communities are expected to pay the amounts below:

Wawan Iccen Ibrahim N4,000,000, Wawan Iccen Salihu N1,000,000, Gaude N1,000,000, Galle N1,000,000 and Tungar Gebe N500,000.

Gado district

The two communities levied are Nannarki and Ruwan Kura.

They are expected to pay N5,000,000 each.

Adabka district

It has one community Gangara which is levied N1.5 million.

Zarummai district

It also has one community Yar Galma expected to pay N5,000,000.

However, a source at the palace of Bunun Zugu, district head of Zugu in Bukkuyum local government area confirmed the letter.

The source clarified that the nine villages are spread across four districts and all the letters were sent to Bunun Zugu.

Bunun Zugu is considered to be one of the highly influential princes in the Bukkuyum emirate council.

The palace source, who craved anonymity, said the monarch had reached out to the Emir of Bukkuyum on the issue.

“His Royal Highness has been discussing the issue with the District Head and other heads of the remaining districts,” he said.

The source confirmed that the letters were brought to the district head by released captives.

He said: “Some of our people were kidnapped by bandits in November last year and after payment of ransom, they released them and sent them with the letters for delivery to the district head.”

A youth leader, Abubakar Gero, who is the coordinator of Zamfara Circle in the area, said the letters were given to some kidnapped residents of Kyaram village under Zugu.

He said, “After payment of ransom by relatives of the captives, they asked them to go with the nine different letters and present them to Bunun Zugu who was also instructed to forward it to the remaining heads.”