Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal has taken a hardline stance against terrorism by openly refusing to pay a 300 million naira ransom demanded by bandits for the release of his abducted brothers, declaring that he told the kidnappers they could kill his siblings rather than receive funding to perpetuate crime.

The Governor made this disclosure during a media appearance, reinforcing his administration’s strict policy against financial negotiations with criminal syndicates. Lawal emphasized that yielding to multi-million naira ransom demands only serves to enrich criminal networks, allowing them to acquire more sophisticated weaponry to further terrorize innocent citizens across the state and the wider northern region.

By publicly drawing a line at his own family, the Governor sought to demonstrate that his anti-ransom policy applies universally, regardless of personal stakes. He argued that the continuous inflow of ransom payments has sustained the lucrative business of banditry in Nigeria, and breaking the cycle requires a collective refusal to fund the perpetrators.

Compounding his call for a revamped security architecture, Governor Lawal strongly backed the establishment of state police forces. He argued that decentralized policing is the most viable path to effectively combating the deep-seated security challenges plaguing Zamfara and other vulnerable states, as local operatives possess the necessary geographical familiarity and intelligence to neutralize contemporary threats.