(Dauda Lawal. Photo by Leadership News)
Dauda Lawal, Governor of Zamfara State, says he refused to pay a N300 million ransom when his brothers were abducted in 2019.
The governor spoke in Abuja on Thursday at a townhall conference, saying negotiating with criminals only encourages more abductions.
Lawal said he told the kidn@ppers to k!ll the victims because he would not pay any ransom, adding that the kidn@ppers eventually released them after three months in captivity without receiving any payment.
He recalled that his brothers were abducted in 2019, and the criminals were demanding about N300 million at the time, but he insisted he would not pay a dime, telling them to go ahead and k!ll the victims if they wished.
He explained that continuing to pay ransom only emboldens criminals to abduct more people, stressing that he would not negotiate or pay ransom to any criminal no matter what happens.
The governor said he believes criminals would think twice about kidn@pping people if ransom payments stopped altogether.
Speaking on the creation of state police, Lawal said governors should have operational control over security in their states if they are to be held responsible for protecting lives and property.
He noted that one of his biggest frustrations as governor is being described as the state’s chief security officer despite lacking real authority over security agencies.
Lawal said security is the foundation of development and questioned how governors could be held accountable for insecurity when they do not control the police.
argued that state police would make elected leaders directly responsible for security in their states and also allow state governments to properly fund and train security personnel.
The governor said the Nigeria Police Force faces poor funding, inadequate training, and poor welfare, all of which he said affect the performance and commitment of officers.
Lawal said the Zamfara government has invested heavily in security, noting that his administration funds more than 30 percent of security operations in the state.
He said the state has provided over 500 vehicles to security agencies in the last three years and recently supplied 35 armoured personnel carriers and mine-resistant ambush protected vehicles to support security operations.
He added that the state government also purchased surveillance and att@ck drones to support security forces in combating crime.
Lawal said improving security agencies through better funding, training, and technology, rather than negotiating with armed groups, remains the best way to tackle b@nditry and kidn@pping.