Bandits terrorizing residents of Zamfara State have issued a Monday ultimatum to seven communities in the Tsafe Local government area of the state to pay a sum of N37 million as ransom or launch an attack in the areas.

The communities include Bawagauga, Hayin Uda, Ruguza, Dumuyu, Zigau, Mai-Rerai and Gidan Kado.

A reliable source in the area who confirmed this development to Newsmen said the bandits shared the amount (N37 million) among the communities.

The source said the bandits demanded that residents in Bawagauga pay N13 million, Hayin Uda pay N7 million, Gidan Kado pay N6 million, and Mai-Rerai pay N4 million while Ruguza, Dumuyu, and Zigau were to pay N2 million each.

The source also revealed that the bandit leader identified as Hassan Bamamu has sometimes ago signed a peace pact with the government of Zamfara State and pledged to desist from banditry activities.

The source further said that it has already alerted the security authorities about the ultimatum for swift intervention.

It was gathered that all the communities are about 25km away from Tsafe Local government headquarters.

Meanwhile, efforts to get the spokesman of the Zamfara State Police Command, SP Mohammed Shehu to confirm if it is aware of the ultimatum and measures being put in place to secure the communities proved abortive as he didn’t respond to either text or WhatsApp messages and phone calls put across to his mobile phone.