Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, on Thursday disclosed that he refused to pay a ₦300 million ransom when his brothers were abducted in 2019, saying yielding to kidnappers only fuels further criminality.
Speaking at the ARISE News and THISDAY Town Hall Conference in Abuja, the governor said he remained resolute despite the personal ordeal, insisting that paying ransom encourages more kidnappings.
“My own brothers were kidnapped in 2019, and these criminals were demanding about ₦300 million at the time. And I said, ‘Look, I’m not going to pay a dime. If you like, go and kill them,’” Lawal said.
According to him, the kidnappers eventually released his brothers after three months in captivity without receiving any ransom.
“By the time we continue to pay ransom to these people, we are encouraging them to be kidnapping people more and more,” he said.
Lawal maintained that his position had not changed, declaring that he would never negotiate with or pay ransom to criminals.
“I will not negotiate, and I will not pay ransom to any criminal, no matter what happens,” he said.
The governor made the remarks while advocating the creation of state police, arguing that governors should have operational control of security agencies if they are to be held accountable for protecting lives and property.
He lamented that although governors are designated as chief security officers of their states, they lack the constitutional authority to direct security agencies.
“In as much as I’m being called the chief security officer of the state, 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 argued that security is the foundation of development and questioned the logic of holding governors responsible for insecurity without giving them 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 establishing state police would improve accountability by enabling citizens to directly assess the performance of their elected leaders while allowing states to adequately fund, equip and train security personnel.
The governor also criticised the Nigeria Police Force over inadequate funding, poor welfare and insufficient training, saying these challenges continue to undermine officers’ effectiveness.
Highlighting Zamfara’s investment in security, Lawal disclosed that his administration currently funds more than 30 per cent of security operations in the state.
He said the state had procured more than 500 operational vehicles for security agencies over the past three years and recently acquired 35 Armoured Personnel Carriers and Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles to strengthen security operations.
Lawal added that his administration had also deployed surveillance and attack drones to support security forces in combating banditry across the state.
He maintained that strengthening security agencies through improved funding, training, equipment and technology, rather than negotiating with armed groups, remains the most effective strategy for tackling kidnapping and banditry.
His remarks come amid renewed national debate over the establishment of state police and broader security reforms aimed at improving responses to local security threats.
