GOVERNOR Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has disclosed that he refused to pay a N300 million ransom demanded by kidnappers who abducted his brothers in 2019, insisting that negotiating with criminals would only fuel the growing wave of kidnappings across the country.
News Point Nigeria reports that the governor made the revelation on Thursday while speaking at the ARISE News and THISDAY Townhall Conference in Abuja, where he also renewed his call for the establishment of state police as part of broader efforts to address insecurity.
Lawal said his decision not to negotiate with the kidnappers was informed by his conviction that ransom payments only embolden criminal groups and encourage them to continue abducting innocent citizens.
Recounting the incident, the governor said the kidnappers demanded N300 million for the release of his brothers, but he refused to engage them or make any payment.
“My own brothers were kidnapped in 2019, and these criminals were demanding at the time about 300 million. And I said, look, I’m not going to pay a dime. If you like, go and kill them.”
According to him, despite his refusal to pay the ransom, the abductors eventually released his brothers after they spent about three months in captivity.
Lawal maintained that the experience further strengthened his belief that paying ransom only strengthens criminal networks and fuels more abductions.
“By the time we continue to pay ransom to these people, we are encouraging them to be kidnapping people more and more.”
He argued that if kidnappers realise they cannot obtain money from victims’ families or government authorities, they would be discouraged from engaging in the crime.
The governor stressed that his position has remained unchanged over the years, insisting that he would never negotiate with or reward criminals.
“I will not negotiate, and I will not pay ransom to any criminal, no matter what happens.”
Lawal made the remarks while advocating for the establishment of state police, arguing that governors should have operational control over the security architecture in their respective states if they are expected to guarantee the safety of residents.
He lamented that although governors are often referred to as chief security officers of their states, they lack the constitutional powers to direct the operations of security agencies.
“In as much as I was called or I’m being called the chief security officer of the states, however, I don’t have the command and control structure to determine what happens or give instructions to some of these security officers.”
According to him, the existing arrangement places governors in a difficult position because they are held accountable for insecurity despite lacking direct control over the police and other security agencies operating in their states.
Lawal described security as the bedrock of development, stressing that meaningful progress cannot be achieved where lives and property are not adequately protected.
“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?”
The governor argued that the creation of state police would strengthen accountability, as citizens would be able to directly assess the performance of elected leaders in maintaining law and order.
He added that state governments are better positioned to recruit, fund, equip and train security personnel based on the peculiar security challenges confronting their various states.
Lawal further noted that the Nigeria Police Force continues to grapple with inadequate funding, poor welfare packages and insufficient training, factors he said have adversely affected the morale and effectiveness of officers.
Highlighting Zamfara State’s investment in security, the governor disclosed that his administration currently finances more than 30 per cent of all security operations conducted within the state.
He said that over the last three years, the state government had procured more than 500 operational vehicles for security agencies to boost their capacity to combat banditry and other violent crimes.
The governor also revealed that the state recently acquired and handed over 35 Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) and Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles to security agencies to support ongoing operations.
Lawal added that his administration has embraced technology in the fight against insecurity through the procurement of surveillance and combat drones.
“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 maintained that the solution to Nigeria’s worsening security challenges lies in strengthening security institutions through improved funding, better welfare packages, enhanced training and the deployment of modern technology, rather than negotiating with or paying ransom to armed groups.
The governor’s remarks come amid renewed national conversations on the establishment of state police and broader reforms in the security sector, with proponents arguing that decentralising policing would improve accountability, strengthen intelligence gathering and ensure faster responses to local security threats across the country.