RismadarVoice Reporters
October 6, 2026
Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal has reaffirmed his opposition to paying ransom or negotiating with bandits, arguing that money handed to kidnappers strengthens criminal networks and enables them to acquire sophisticated weapons.
Lawal, speaking during a media interview, said his position had remained unchanged since assuming office, insisting that ransom payments had turned kidnapping into a lucrative criminal enterprise.
According to the governor, paying kidnappers creates a cycle in which proceeds from abductions can be used to finance further criminal activities and acquire weapons.
“People are going into this because it’s more like a business now: kidnapping people, asking for ransom. You are empowering the bandits,” Lawal said.
He added that money paid as ransom could ultimately strengthen the capacity of armed groups to carry out further attacks.
Lawal also recalled the abduction of two of his brothers, saying their captors demanded ₦300 million for their release but that he refused to personally pay the ransom.
The governor said his decision was based on his longstanding position that giving money to kidnappers would further empower criminal groups.
Lawal also criticised previous attempts to negotiate with bandits, arguing that the fragmented nature of armed groups operating in the region makes negotiations difficult to sustain.
According to him, reaching an agreement with one group does not necessarily bind others, while rival groups could launch attacks in an attempt to force authorities to recognise or negotiate with them.
He maintained that the absence of a unified command structure among the groups was one of the major challenges confronting negotiation efforts.
Lawal has repeatedly advocated a security-led approach to tackling banditry in Zamfara, while maintaining that his administration will not adopt ransom payments or negotiations with armed groups as its policy.
