- Zamfara Governor Lawal says paying ransom only encourages more kidnappings.
- He recalled refusing to pay ₦300 million for his kidnapped brothers.
- Military air strike reportedly disrupted bandits’ operations near Zamfara border.
Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, has reaffirmed his administration’s policy of refusing to negotiate with or pay ransom to bandits, insisting that such payments only encourage more kidnappings.
The governor made the declaration on Thursday during the Arise News Town Hall on State Police, where he argued that paying ransom emboldens criminal groups and fuels insecurity.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that Lawal recalled that his own brothers were kidnapped in 2019, with the abductors demanding a ₦300 million ransom for their release.
According to him, he refused to meet the demand and told the kidnappers they could kill his brothers if they wished, maintaining that he would not pay any ransom.
“My own brothers were kidnapped in 2019, and these criminals are demanding ₦300 million. I told them, ‘Look, I’m not going to pay a dime. If you like, go ahead and kill them,’ because if we continue paying ransoms to these people, we are encouraging them to kidnap more people,” the governor said.
Lawal also expressed support for the establishment of state police, stating that the Zamfara State Government is prepared to provide the necessary funding to strengthen local security and tackle criminal activities more effectively.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian military has carried out a precision air strike on a major bandits’ enclave at Dogon Dawa along the Niger, Kaduna and Zamfara border.
According to security sources, the operation was launched after intelligence reports indicated that a large number of armed bandits had assembled in the area to coordinate attacks on surrounding communities.
The air strike reportedly targeted the gathering, neutralising several suspected bandits and disrupting their planned operations.
Operational sources further disclosed that intelligence gathered after the strike revealed that hundreds of motorcycles had been assembled at the location, suggesting preparations for coordinated attacks before the military operation.
