Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal has revealed that under his watch the government would not negotiate or pay bandits.
He insists that paying or negotiating with bandits will not only embolden the criminals but would turn kidnapping and banditry into a business.
Speaking during a media parley to mark the state’s 30th Anniversary, Governor Lawal, he noted that he had a personal encounter with the kidnappers that has informed his decision.
According to him ““You know, there are certain hard decisions you must take as a leader of the family…and I made it clear that this is my stand, but if anybody feels otherwise, he is free to go and pay and bring Yusuf and Amba back,” Lawal said while recalling the abduction of his brothers in 2025.
“Eventually, they (kidnappers) got tired, and the last thing they asked for then, I think, was a ₦150,000 recharge card, and even that I said I was not going to pay. Somebody from the family should do that because I made a commitment that I will never put a dime to a criminal.”
He said he is working to restore peace in the state and turn it from a Sharia state to a thriving investment destination.
