Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, says he refused to pay a ₦300 million ransom when his brothers were kidnapped in 2019, insisting that negotiating with criminals only fuels more abductions.
Speaking at the ARISE News and THISDAY Townhall Conference in Abuja, the governor said he told the kidnappers to kill his brothers rather than expect any ransom payment.
According to him, his brothers regained their freedom after spending three months in captivity without any money being paid.
Lawal maintained that paying ransom only encourages criminals to continue kidnapping innocent people, stressing that he would never negotiate with or pay ransom to kidnappers under any circumstance.
The governor also renewed his call for the establishment of state police, arguing that governors cannot be held accountable for insecurity without operational control over security agencies.
He said security remains the foundation of development and called for greater authority for state governments to tackle local security challenges.
Lawal disclosed that Zamfara State currently funds more than 30 per cent of security operations within the state, adding that his administration has procured over 500 vehicles, including Armoured Personnel Carriers and Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles, to support security agencies.
He also said the state had acquired surveillance and attack drones to strengthen ongoing operations against bandits.
The governor maintained that strengthening security agencies through adequate funding, training and technology, rather than negotiating with armed groups, remains the most effective strategy to combat kidnapping and banditry in the country.
