Fears have occupied the minds of famers in the Magama and Atabo local government area of Niger State after bandits allegedly issued threat to frustrate their harvest of crops.
The bandits have threatened not to allow farmers make harvest unless they pay tax to them.
A source informed newsmen that bandits launched an attack on Atabo community and abducted the head of the village, Alhaji Mairabo, and his younger brother, popularly known as Usman.
The source revealed that the head of the village later regained his freedom but the younger brother is still in the captivity of the kidnappers.
The source further added that, “They released the village head on Wednesday and he was told to inform the family of his younger brother to pay N7 million ransom. They also told him that if this ransom was not paid on time, they would not allow us to harvest our crops this dry season until we pay tax. As I speak with you, some people have fled their homes since Tuesday’s attack.”
He has made an appeal to the federal and Niger State governments to help the affect area with enough and sufficient security machinery to assist the harvest of their crops.
