Residents of Maburya community in Mariga Local Government Area of Niger State have reportedly paid bandits ₦2.6 million to secure peace, but remain barred from accessing their farms. The development has raised fresh concerns over the effectiveness of informal peace agreements with armed groups and the growing insecurity facing rural communities.
According to a security alert issued by Bakatsine on Saturday, the bandits initially demanded ₦1 million from the community. However, after rejecting the amount, they reportedly compelled residents to raise the payment to ₦2.6 million. Rather than allowing residents to return to their farms after collecting the money, the armed men allegedly assembled community members and demanded additional payments.
They reportedly warned that nobody would be permitted to access their farmlands until all their demands had been met. The situation has left residents in uncertainty, with their livelihoods increasingly threatened as farming activities remain disrupted.
Beyond the fresh financial demands, the armed men have allegedly continued to seize motorcycles, mobile phones and cash belonging to residents. Bakatsine described the development as disturbing, noting that Maburya was among the communities that had reportedly reached a peace agreement with the bandits.
Despite the arrangement, residents continue to face intimidation, extortion and restrictions on their movement.
The continued denial of access to farmlands is particularly concerning because agriculture remains a major source of food and income for households in the community. For residents who depend on farming to feed their families and earn a living, the restrictions could worsen economic hardship and threaten food security.
The incident highlights the challenges confronting rural communities in Niger State, where residents have reportedly resorted to negotiations and financial payments in attempts to prevent attacks and restore normalcy.
However, the situation in Maburya suggests that the reported peace agreement has done little to protect residents from further intimidation and exploitation.
Even after paying ₦2.6 million, the community remains unable to freely access its farms, raising questions about how long residents can sustain such payments while their livelihoods remain under threat.
