Residents in Zamfara State communities have been sending representatives to work on the farmlands controlled by terrorists amidst ongoing negotiations for peace, and the police are silent.

Security watch reports stated on Saturday that people residing in Danjigba, Kwanar Ganuwa and Kwanar Gahori communities of the Tsafe local government area of Zamfara are now sending two representatives each to work in the forest and farms controlled by bandits.

The report stated that the arrangement to send people to work for bandits is part of temporary concerted efforts to ensure peace in those communities.

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There are ongoing negotiations between the bandits and the communities which began on Tuesday.

FIJ contacted Yazid Abubakar, the Zamfara State Police Public Relations Officer, on a phone call but he said he could not hear the questions posed to him. Abubakar did not take his calls when FIJ called him back.

Abubakar has also refused to respond to FIJ’s messages at press time.

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Terrorists have been wreaking havoc across states, using violent crimes to control even residential areas with fear.

FIJ previously reported that bandits terrorising farmers in the Mariga local government area of Niger State told farmers to forget about harvesting their crops if they failed to pay an N11 million levy.

The terrorists also demanded food, motorcycles and phones in exchange for kidnapped villagers.

Terrorist kingpin Bello Turji also levied fees on communities in the northwest in exchange for his kidnapped allies.