‘I Told Them To Kill Them’: Zamfara Governor Defends No-Ransom Policy, Demands State Police
Lawal Rejects Ransom Payments, Calls for State Police to Tackle Insecurity
Governor recounts personal kidnapping ordeal
ZAMFARA State Governor, Dauda Lawal, has renewed his call for the establishment of state police, arguing that Nigeria’s worsening insecurity requires structural reforms rather than ransom payments to criminal groups.
Speaking at the ARISE News and THISDAY Town Hall Conference in Abuja, the governor revealed that he refused to pay a ₦300 million ransom demanded after his brothers were kidnapped in 2019, insisting that negotiating with kidnappers only strengthens criminal networks.
According to Lawal, despite spending about three months in captivity, his brothers were eventually released without any payment.
He maintained that the experience reinforced his conviction that governments and families should never reward criminality through ransom payments.
Paying ransom encourages more kidnappings
Lawal argued that kidnapping has become a lucrative criminal enterprise largely because perpetrators expect financial rewards from desperate families and governments.
He warned that continuous payment of ransom fuels the expansion of kidnapping networks, finances armed groups and exposes more citizens to similar attacks.
According to him, denying criminals financial incentives would gradually reduce the attractiveness of kidnapping as a business.
The governor reiterated that his administration would continue to reject negotiations conducted from what he described as “a position of weakness.”
State police as a constitutional necessity
Beyond the kidnapping debate, Lawal insisted that Nigeria’s existing security architecture limits governors’ ability to protect their citizens.
Although state governors are constitutionally regarded as chief security officers, he noted that they lack operational control over police and other federal security agencies.
He argued that governors are unfairly held accountable for insecurity despite lacking authority over personnel deployment and operational decisions.
According to him, establishing state police would improve accountability by allowing elected state leaders to directly manage security operations within their jurisdictions.
Security requires funding, technology and local solutions
Lawal disclosed that Zamfara State has invested heavily in security infrastructure over the past three years.
He said the government has procured more than 500 operational vehicles for security agencies, supplied 35 Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) and Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles, and deployed surveillance as well as combat drones to strengthen intelligence gathering and operations against bandits.
He stressed that improved funding, better welfare for security personnel, modern equipment and advanced technology should complement institutional reforms.
National debate exposes differing concerns
The town hall also featured contributions from governors, lawmakers, security experts and legal practitioners, many of whom supported decentralised policing while expressing concerns over funding, political interference and institutional safeguards.
Governor Chukwuma Soludo advocated broader constitutional restructuring, including fiscal federalism and judicial reforms, arguing that state police should form part of a comprehensive federal restructuring agenda.
Governor Dapo Abiodun and Governor Caleb Mutfwang emphasised sustainable funding and strong oversight mechanisms to prevent abuse.
Senator Adams Oshiomhole and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan warned that without independent oversight, state police could become vulnerable to political misuse during elections.
Constitutional amendment progresses
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele defended the National Assembly’s handling of the constitutional amendment, saying extensive public hearings had been conducted nationwide over the past two and a half years.
He explained that the executive bill transmitted by President Bola Tinubu reflected broad stakeholder consultations and expressed confidence that the House of Representatives and state legislatures would complete the remaining constitutional approval process.
As Nigeria continues debating security sector reforms, the discussions highlight growing consensus that policing reforms must balance operational effectiveness with constitutional safeguards, fiscal sustainability and accountability.
