Dauda Lawal Defends Refusal to Pay Kidnap Ransom

Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal says he refused to pay a N300 million ransom after his brothers were abducted in 2019, arguing that ransom payments encourage more kidnappings.

Speaking on Thursday at the ARISE News and THISDAY Townhall Conference in Abuja, Dauda Lawal said he remained firm despite the personal risk. Recalling the incident, he said, “My own brothers were k+dnapped in 2019, and these criminals were demanding at the time about 300 million. And I said, look, I’m not going to pay a dime. If you like, go and k+ll them.”

According to the governor, the kidnappers released his brothers after three months without receiving any payment. He maintained that refusing to pay was the right decision because ransom payments encourage more criminal activity. “By the time we continue to pay ransom to these people, we are encouraging them to be k+dnapping people more and more.”

Lawal also stated, “I will not negotiate, and I will not pay ransom to any criminal, no matter what happens.” While discussing state police, he argued that governors should not be held fully responsible for insecurity when they lack operational control over security agencies. He said, “In as much as I was called or I’m being called the chief security officer of the states, however, I don’t have the command and control structure to determine what happens or give instructions to some of these security officers.”

Questioning the current security structure, he added, “Why is it difficult for people to understand that my primary responsibility is the protection of lives and property, and I don’t have that control? How do you hold me accountable?”

The governor said Zamfara State funds more than 30 per cent of security operations and has provided over 500 security vehicles, including 35 Armoured Personnel Carriers and Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles, during the past three years. He also revealed that the state purchased surveillance drones and att@ck drones to support security forces in tackling criminal groups.

Do you think greater operational control for governors would improve security efforts across Nigerian states?