GUSAU — Residents of communities in Dansadau Emirate, Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State, say they are bearing the cost of reprisal attacks by bandits, according to a field report by Premium Times.

On 5 October, a bandit leader known as Dankarami Gwaska attacked a military base and mining sites in Bindin ward, killing 14 soldiers and mobile police officers and looting the armoury. He then demanded a N50 million "protection levy" from the area. Residents say about N360 million was extorted within two weeks and that almost everyone has fled.

Another gang leader, known as Rambo, demanded N50 million and the return of weapons seized by vigilantes, and planted explosives on the Magami–Dansadau road. The army spokesperson, Aliyu Danja, said troops cleared the devices on 9 October. A day later, an escorted convoy was ambushed on the same road.

A community leader, Nuhu Babangida, blamed the reprisals on vigilante attacks and accused politicians of stoking insecurity at election time. The police spokesperson in the state could not be reached for comment.