Jelili Gbadamosi
Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, has revealed that he refused to pay a ₦300 million ransom demanded by bandits after they abducted his brothers in 2019, insisting that negotiating with criminals only fuels more kidnappings.
The governor made the disclosure in Abuja on Thursday while speaking on the country’s security challenges and the need for stronger measures to combat banditry and kidnapping.
According to Lawal, the kidnappers demanded ₦300 million for the release of his brothers, but he declined to pay despite the personal nature of the incident.
“My own brothers were kidnapped in 2019, and these criminals demanded ₦300 million. I told them, ‘I’m not going to pay a dime; if you like, go ahead and kill them,’” he said.
Lawal argued that the payment of ransom has become a major incentive for criminal gangs, encouraging them to continue abducting innocent Nigerians for financial gain.
“Because if we continue paying ransoms to these people, we are encouraging them to kidnap more people,” he added.
The governor reiterated his opposition to negotiating with bandits and stressed the need for a more robust security framework to tackle insecurity across the country.
He also expressed support for the proposed creation of state police, saying he is prepared to fund a state policing system if it would help curb the activities of bandits and other criminal elements in Zamfara State and across Nigeria.
