Residents of Mai Tukunya have begun leaving their homes after armed bandits demanded a large payment and weapons as a condition for allowing them to remain in the village.
The community, located in the Dansadau District within Maru Local Government Area, was reportedly given a final ultimatum by the attackers. The bandits demanded ₦10 million, an AK-47 rifle, and three Honda motorcycles from residents.
Unable to meet the demands, many villagers have started fleeing the area in search of safety. Families, including children and elderly residents, were seen leaving the community on foot under the intense heat, uncertain about where they would eventually settle.
A security analyst identified as Bakatsine cited accounts from residents describing the toll the demand has taken on the community, which has endured years of violence.
According to one resident, the demand was impossible for most families to meet, especially after more than a decade of insecurity that has devastated livelihoods. Farming has become increasingly dangerous, businesses have collapsed, and many households have been pushed into poverty.
Community members also described the constant fear that had become part of daily life before the ultimatum was issued. Armed groups frequently attacked homes, while men risked being kidnapped or killed when traveling to markets or farms. Parents reportedly sent their children to school with the fear that they might not return.
Some residents said they had previously been advised to defend themselves, despite lacking weapons or training to confront heavily armed attackers.
Faced with limited choices, many villagers decided to abandon their homes to protect their lives. Entire families—women, children, and elderly residents—began moving out of the area in search of safer communities.
Reports indicate that several displaced residents walked for hours, with some doing so while observing the fasting period of Ramadan. Many were said to be exhausted, and some had no clear destination.
The analyst noted that the situation in Mai Tukunya reflects a wider security crisis affecting parts of north-western Nigeria. Across the region, attacks by armed groups have made roads unsafe, forced communities to abandon their homes, and disrupted education through repeated school attacks and kidnappings.
As a result, many once-active rural communities are gradually being deserted as residents move elsewhere in search of safety and stability.
