The people of Moriki town in Zurmi LGA of Zamfara State have reportedly convinced notorious bandit leader Bello Turji to reduce the ransom he imposed on them from N50 million to N30 million, with a Wednesday deadline for payment.
The ransom is demanded as compensation for the killing of Turji’s cows by the new commander of the Army base in Moriki.
Each family head has been instructed to contribute N10,000, while unmarried adults are required to pay N2,000.
Despite the Army commander’s advice against paying the ransom and his assurance to prevent further harm to Turji’s animals, the villagers fear retaliatory attacks and have started collecting the money.
Compounding the villagers’ plight is the fact that around fifteen local politicians and social activists remain in Turji’s captivity, having been abducted from within Moriki despite the presence of soldiers stationed in the town.
The fear of more attacks and the absence of adequate protection have left the villagers with little choice but to comply with Turji’s demands.
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