A newly emerged terrorist group called “Sai Mallam” has imposed monthly levies of ₦5 million on at least 10 rural communities across Kebbi State’s Argungu and Zuru emirates, threatening violence and farmland seizures against residents who fail to comply.
A dangerous new threat has quietly taken root in northwest Nigeria — and it’s coming with a price tag.
A freshly emerged terrorist group known as “Sai Mallam” has put at least 10 rural communities in Kebbi State on financial notice, demanding ₦5 million every month or face violent attacks and the seizure of farmlands, SaharaReporters has learnt.
The affected communities span two emirates. In Argungu: Alwasa, Danba, Sarkin Gobir, Unwara and Zazzagawa. In Zuru: Zodi, Tadurga, Senchi, Ciroman and Dabai. The group, sources say, quietly relocated to Kebbi during the first quarter of 2026 and has been steadily consolidating its grip ever since.
“They have told our people that every month they must produce ₦5 million. They said if we fail to pay, they will take over our farmlands and attack our communities,” a community source told SaharaReporters.
But extortion is only half the story. The group has also been running a calculated recruitment drive, targeting unemployed youths and Almajiri children — many from Niger Republic and Chad — with promises of monthly stipends and food supplies before feeding them radical ideology.
“They came with a strategy. They promised young people monthly allowances and food rations. After recruiting them, they started preaching radical ideologies, convincing them that what they are doing is jihad,” another source revealed.
The Kebbi State Government only publicly acknowledged the group’s existence after community leaders repeatedly sounded the alarm. For residents, a press statement isn’t nearly enough.
“But issuing a statement alone cannot stop these terrorists. What the people want is for the Federal Government to deploy enough military personnel to flush them out before they become stronger,” a source said pointedly.
The warning is stark and the clock is ticking. Sai Mallam is no longer a rumour — it’s a growing insurgency quietly building its base while Abuja looks elsewhere.
NEWS NOW:
