Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal has reiterated his decision not to support negotiations with kidnappers abducting residents and wreaking havoc in the state.
Lawal said he would not negotiate with bandits, arguing that ransom payments had turned kidnapping into a lucrative business and provided criminals with resources to sustain their operations.
He stated this during an interview with Channels Television on Monday.
“I would say this: my stance has always been no negotiation with the bandits. From day one, and I still maintain that stance.
“People are going into this because it’s more like a business now: kidnapping people, asking for ransom. You are empowering the bandits.
“Because for every dime that you pay, that is what they use to get all these sophisticated weapons they use. If they don’t get the money, how do you think they’ll get the weapons?” he said.
Lawal recalled an incident in which two of his brothers were kidnapped and the abductors demanded N300 million ransom for each of them.
He said he refused to pay the ransom despite the demand.
“You already have these people under your custody. You came to pick them yourself. They didn’t go there. They even came to their houses and picked them.
“And you expect me to pay money to secure their freedom? I said no, I would not do that.
“Because I would rather do something with that money. I’m a very strong believer that if they are meant to die, within that period, they will die.
“Nobody would do anything. But I would not give up my money to a criminal and empower him to do more,” he said.
While speaking on negotiations with bandits under previous administrations, the governor said the approach had failed to produce lasting results because the criminal groups were not organised under a single leadership.
According to him, negotiating with one group could prompt another to intensify attacks in an attempt to gain recognition.
“It happens severally, and I’ve seen it. Where when you negotiate with A, B would think that you’re underrating him,” he said.
“And therefore, that is when he would show that he’s also, you know, somebody to recognise.
“So how do you go into negotiations with this kind of people? Nobody takes responsibility. Nobody takes leadership,” he added.
