Residents of Kebbe town in Kebbe Local Government Area of Sokoto State have been thrown into fear after suspected bandits reportedly demanded N40m from the community and threatened to attack if the money was not raised.
The gunmen were said to have issued an ultimatum to the residents, warning that failure to meet the demand could lead to killings and the burning of the town.
The demand was reportedly communicated through a farmer, who was said to have delivered a telephone handset to the District Head of Kebbe, Mallam Lawal Labbo.
According to information circulated by Crisis Reporter Bakastine on X, the bandits initially gave the community five days to raise the money before extending the deadline to seven days following appeals from residents.
The handset was later handed over to the Divisional Police Officer in the area for security authorities to monitor the situation.
The suspected bandits reportedly instructed that the phone must remain charged and accessible, warning that failure to respond to their calls could trigger an attack on the community.
Confirming the development, the spokesman for the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Ahmed Rufai, said the command was aware of the reported threat and had commenced efforts to prevent any attack.
“We are aware of the information and we, together with our Anti-Kidnapping Unit, AKU, are already working on the information,” Rufai said.
He added that the security alert included the alleged N40m demand and ultimatum issued to the community, as residents await further action from security agencies amid growing tension.