Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, has reiterated his decision not to support negotiations with kidnappers abducting residents and wreaking havoc in the state.

The governor, who stated this during a media chat on Monday, said paying ransom to criminals empowers them.

He also said previous negotiations did not yield any positive results.

“You know, there are certain hard decisions you must take as a leader of the family…and I made it clear that this is my stand, but if anybody feels otherwise, he is free to go and pay and bring Yusuf and Amba back,” Lawal said while recalling the abduction of his brothers in 2025.

“Eventually, they (kidnappers) got tired, and the last thing they asked for then, I think, was a ₦150,000 recharge card, and even that I said I was not going to pay. Somebody from the family should do that because I made a commitment that I will never put a dime to a criminal.”

The governor’s comments come against the backdrop of continued attacks and abductions by bandits and terrorists in Zamfara this year.

In January, five soldiers and a police inspector were killed when suspected bandits ambushed security personnel along the Kwatarkwashi axis in Bungudu Local Government Area.

The following month, 30 people were reported killed, and several others abducted when bandits attacked Dutsin Dan Ajiya village in Anka Local Government Area.

Eleven others were also confirmed killed in an attack on Ware community in Tsafe Local Government Area.

In April, suspected bandits attacked Kurfa community in Bukkuyum Local Government Area, abducting an unspecified number of residents.

Days later, security forces said they killed more than 30 suspected bandits in a counter-offensive in Tsafe.

In May, an IED explosion along the Bagega-Anka road killed six people and injured six others, while suspected terrorists also ambushed travellers along the Magami-Dansadau road, with several people feared killed and abducted.

The violence continued in June and July, with 39 residents abducted during a reconciliation mission in Maradun and seven students abducted in Kaura Namoda.

In July, the chairman of Bungudu Local Government Area was abducted after terrorists attacked his residence, killing two policemen, a vigilante and a civilian.

As recently as September, troops rescued 41 travellers abducted after their commercial bus broke down along the Tsafe-Funtua Road, highlighting the security challenges along key routes in the state.

However, the governor said that his administration was working to improve security response time to attacks, particularly in troubled areas such as Tsafe. (Channels TV)

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