Gov. Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has revealed that he refused to pay a N300 million ransom demanded by kidnappers who abducted his brothers in 2019, insisting that negotiating with criminals only fuels insecurity.
Lawal made the disclosure on Thursday while speaking at the ARISE News and THISDAY Town Hall Conference in Abuja, where he renewed his call for the establishment of state police to address the country’s security challenges.
The governor said the kidnappers demanded N300 million for the release of his brothers, but he declined to negotiate or pay any ransom.
According to him, he was determined not to encourage the growing trend of kidnapping for ransom.
“My own brothers were kidnapped in 2019, and these criminals were demanding about N300 million. I said I was not going to pay a dime,” he said.
Lawal disclosed that despite his refusal to pay, his brothers were eventually released after spending about three months in captivity.
He said the experience strengthened his belief that ransom payments only embolden criminal groups and encourage further abductions.
“By the time we continue to pay ransom to these people, we are encouraging them to continue kidnapping more people,” he said.
The governor maintained that denying kidnappers financial rewards would discourage the crime and weaken criminal networks.
He reiterated that his position on ransom payment had not changed, stressing that he would not negotiate with or reward criminals under any circumstance.
Lawal also renewed his advocacy for the creation of state police, describing it as a critical step toward improving security and enabling states to respond more effectively to local threats.
He urged stakeholders to support reforms aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s security architecture to curb kidnapping, banditry and other violent crimes.
