A security expert has accused a notorious bandit leader of coercing villagers in Zamfara State into unpaid farm work under threats of violence.
The analyst, who identified himself as Bakatsine, revealed that Kacalla Jiji Dan Auta, a feared figure in the region, is behind the alleged exploitation taking place in several communities within Anka Local Government Area, including Yan Yatankari, Yar Sabaya, and Birnin Doki.
According to Bakatsine, residents in these villages are being rounded up and made to work on farmlands controlled by the bandit leader.
“These people are not volunteering,” he said. “They are being forced into labour, and he’s already warned them to return next Monday for more.”
He added that the development marks a disturbing evolution in the operations of armed groups in the North.
“We’re now witnessing organised exploitation — not just attacks or abductions, but systematic use of civilians as a labour force,” Bakatsine said.
He called on the authorities to act swiftly, warning that the communities are exposed and lack protection. “This is slavery in disguise, and it’s happening openly,” he said.
Despite ongoing security efforts in Zamfara, large swathes of the state remain under the influence of criminal groups.