Zamfara State governor, Dauda Lawal, on Thursday revealed that he refused to pay a N300 million ransom when his brothers were kidnapped in 2019, saying he told the abductors to kill them rather than negotiate with criminals.
Speaking at the ARISE News/THISDAY Town Hall Conference in Abuja, Lawal said he adopted a hardline stance despite the personal cost, insisting that paying ransom only emboldens kidnappers and encourages more abductions.
“My own brothers were kidnapped in 2019, and these criminals were demanding at the time about N300 million. And I said, look, I’m not going to pay a dime. If you like, go and kill them,” the governor said.
According to him, the kidnappers eventually released his brothers after three months in captivity without receiving any ransom payment.
“By the time we continue to pay ransom to these people, we are encouraging them to be kidnapping people more and more,” he said, adding that criminals would think twice about abducting people if ransom payments stopped.
Lawal stressed that his position on ransom payments has remained unchanged.
“I will not negotiate, and I will not pay ransom to any criminal, no matter what happens,” he declared.
The governor made the remarks while advocating the establishment of state police, arguing that governors should be given operational control over security in their states if they are to be held accountable for protecting lives and property.
According to him, one of his greatest frustrations as governor is being described as the state’s chief security officer despite having no command-and-control authority over security agencies.
“In as much as I was called or I’m being called the chief security officer of the state, however, I don’t have the command and control structure to determine what happens or give instructions to some of these security officers,” he said.
Lawal maintained that security is the foundation of development and questioned how governors could be held responsible for insecurity when they lack operational control over policing.
“Why is it difficult for people to understand that my primary responsibility is the protection of lives and property, and I don’t have that control? How do you hold me accountable?” he asked.
He said the creation of state police would enable citizens to hold elected leaders directly responsible for security outcomes while allowing states to provide adequate funding, equipment and training for security personnel.
The governor further argued that the Nigeria Police Force is constrained by inadequate funding, insufficient training and poor welfare, factors he said have affected the effectiveness and commitment of officers.
To support his argument, Lawal disclosed that the Zamfara State Government currently funds more than 30 per cent of security operations in the state.
He said his administration has procured over 500 vehicles for security agencies in the last three years and recently provided 35 Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) and Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles to strengthen security operations.
The governor also highlighted the deployment of technology in the fight against insecurity.
“We bought drones, both surveillance drones and attack drones, to be able to aid the security forces in terms of fighting these criminals in their respective areas,” he said.
Lawal maintained that strengthening security agencies through improved funding, training and technology, rather than negotiating with armed groups or paying ransom, remains the most effective strategy for tackling banditry and kidnapping.
