Security analyst Zagazola Makama disclosed the development on Sunday, linking it to recent military offensives that have targeted bandit enclaves across the North-West. According to him, the changes are happening within a faction loyal to notorious kingpin Ado Aleiro, following the death of one of the group’s commanders, Kachalla Iliya Mai Rasha.
Makama said the gang has named a replacement for the late commander, but the identity of the new field leader has not been made public. He noted that the appointment is part of a broader effort to restructure operations after sustained pressure from troops under Operation FANSAN YAMMA.
The analyst also reported that emissaries of the group have moved into the western axis of Tsafe LGA to demand money from residents. Each village, he alleged, has been ordered to contribute N200,000. With several villages affected, the levy is projected to raise about N25 million, which the group intends to use to buy more arms and ammunition.
Residents quoted in the report said the demand has created panic in the affected communities. Many farmers and traders, already struggling with insecurity and a collapsing local economy, say they have no means of raising such amounts. Those who fail to pay, they fear, risk attacks or abduction.
The report further claimed that at least 10 bandit commanders, locally referred to as Kachallas, were buried in Kizara village, west of Tsafe, after recent clashes with security forces. Several others were said to have sustained injuries. The burials, according to local accounts, reflect the toll that military operations have taken on the group in recent weeks.
Makama also stated that bandit foot soldiers returning from operations have complained to their local contacts about difficulties in rustling livestock within Zamfara. They reportedly said they now have to travel much farther into remote areas to find cattle, blaming continuous security operations and repeated cattle thefts for depleting herds in the state.
These accounts could not be independently verified, but they align with earlier reports that military pressure has disrupted some of the bandits’ traditional sources of funding and logistics.
Security sources told Makama that authorities are monitoring the new leadership structure and the alleged collection of levies. They said intelligence efforts are focused on disrupting the group’s financing network and preventing the purchase of more weapons.
Operation FANSAN YAMMA, a joint military operation covering Zamfara, Katsina and Sokoto states, has intensified in the last few months. Officials say the operation has led to the killing of several notorious commanders and the destruction of camps used by armed groups.
Despite these gains, communities in parts of Zamfara continue to live under threat. In Tsafe and other LGAs, residents complain of nighttime raids, extortion, and the movement of armed men through forests and villages.
Local leaders are calling for more boots on the ground and better intelligence to stop the imposition of levies, which they describe as another form of terrorism. They argue that allowing armed groups to tax communities for weapons will only embolden them and prolong the crisis.
As of Sunday, there was no official statement from the Zamfara State Government or the military on the alleged new commander or the levy in Tsafe. However, security agencies maintain that operations are ongoing to degrade bandit capabilities and restore normalcy to affected areas.
For now, villages in the western part of Tsafe remain on edge, waiting to see whether government response will come before the next round of demands.
