Reported by Weng Patrick Atokor l Journalist at Weng Global
Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal has explained why he refused to pay ransom to bandits who abducted his brothers, saying he would not financially support criminals or encourage a system in which kidnappers profit from abducting innocent people.
Lawal made the disclosure during a media engagement on Monday, October 5, 2026, while discussing the security situation in Zamfara State and his administration’s response to banditry, kidnapping and other forms of criminality.
The governor said his brothers, Yusuf and Amba, were abducted but that he remained opposed to paying the ransom demanded by their captors.
According to Lawal, he told members of his family that he would not provide money to the criminals and that anyone who disagreed with his position could raise the money independently.
The governor said the kidnappers eventually reduced their demand to a ₦150,000 recharge card, but he still refused to make the payment.
“Eventually, they got tired, and the last thing they asked for then, I think, was a ₦150,000 recharge card, and even that I said I was not going to pay,” Lawal said, according to Channels Television.
Why Lawal rejected the ransom demand
Lawal said his decision was based on his belief that paying ransom strengthens criminal networks and creates an incentive for kidnappers and bandits to continue targeting victims.
The governor acknowledged the personal difficulty involved in refusing to pay money for the release of close relatives but maintained that leaders must sometimes take difficult positions when confronting organised criminal groups.
His position is consistent with his broader policy against negotiating with bandits who continue to attack communities in Zamfara.
In July 2026, Lawal disclosed that his brothers had previously been kidnapped and that their abductors demanded approximately ₦300 million for their release.
At a town hall meeting in Abuja, the governor said he refused to pay the reported ransom, arguing that paying criminals would encourage further kidnapping.
Premium Times reported that Lawal’s brothers eventually regained their freedom after spending about three months in captivity without the reported ₦300 million ransom being paid.
The latest account provides further details about the negotiations, including the reported demand for a ₦150,000 recharge card after the kidnappers had apparently reduced their demands.
Zamfara’s continuing battle with banditry
The governor’s comments come against the background of a prolonged security crisis in Zamfara and other parts of north-western Nigeria.
Zamfara has experienced repeated attacks, kidnappings, cattle rustling and other forms of criminal activity attributed to armed bandit groups.
Although security agencies have carried out military and police operations across affected areas, some communities remain vulnerable, particularly in remote locations where difficult terrain and poor road networks can complicate security responses.
Channels Television reported that several security incidents occurred across Zamfara during 2026, including attacks involving civilians and security personnel.
The state’s security situation has also affected transportation, farming and economic activity, with residents in some areas facing restrictions on movement because of fears of attacks and abductions.
Governor highlights security response challenges
During the same media engagement, Lawal said the state was working to improve the speed of security responses to attacks.
He pointed to poor road infrastructure as one of the factors that can delay security personnel from reaching communities under attack.
The governor specifically referenced the Tsafe-Yankuzo axis, where difficult road conditions can make movement and security operations more challenging.
Lawal also said his administration was deploying technology, including drones, to support intelligence gathering and monitor areas that are difficult for security personnel to access.
According to the governor, attacks have reduced compared with the situation before he assumed office, although he acknowledged that isolated incidents continue.
He attributed some of the continuing difficulties to inaccessible terrain and conditions that become particularly challenging during the rainy season.
Recent rescue of abducted travellers
The security challenges have also affected travellers using major roads in Zamfara.
In September 2026, security forces rescued 41 travellers who had reportedly been abducted after their commercial bus broke down along the Tsafe-Funtua Road.
The incident highlighted the vulnerability of travellers using highways connecting communities in Zamfara and neighbouring states.
For the state government, improving road infrastructure is therefore not only an economic priority but also part of its broader security strategy.
Better roads can potentially reduce response times and make it easier for security agencies to reach communities and locations where attacks occur.
The difficult question of ransom payments
The debate over ransom payments remains one of Nigeria’s most difficult security and humanitarian questions.
For families whose relatives have been kidnapped, paying ransom can sometimes appear to be the fastest way to secure a victim’s release.
However, security experts and government authorities have repeatedly warned that ransom payments can provide financial resources to criminal groups and potentially encourage further kidnappings.
The issue becomes more complicated when victims remain in captivity and their families face threats or deadlines from abductors.
Government officials must therefore balance the immediate safety of victims with longer-term efforts to prevent criminal groups from establishing kidnapping as a profitable enterprise.
Lawal’s personal experience has become part of his argument against ransom payments.
By refusing to pay even when his own brothers were abducted, the governor has sought to demonstrate that his opposition to ransom is not limited to cases involving members of the public.
Lawal backs stronger state security structures
The Zamfara governor has also advocated greater state involvement in security operations.
Lawal has supported calls for state police, arguing that state governments need stronger security structures to respond more effectively to threats within their territories.
The debate over state police has remained prominent in Nigeria, particularly as several states continue to face banditry, kidnapping, communal violence and other security challenges.
Supporters argue that state-controlled police structures could improve local intelligence and response times because officers would operate closer to the communities they serve.
Critics, however, have raised concerns about potential political interference and the possibility of state police being misused by political actors.
The issue remains part of Nigeria’s wider discussion about security-sector reform and the balance between federal and state responsibilities.
Why the governor’s position matters
Lawal’s refusal to pay ransom is significant beyond his personal experience because it reflects a broader policy debate over how Nigeria should respond to kidnapping.
If criminal groups can reliably obtain large sums of money from victims’ families, kidnapping can become a lucrative form of organised crime.
But refusing ransom without having effective alternatives for securing victims can also create serious humanitarian risks.
The long-term solution therefore requires more than a position on ransom payments.
It requires effective intelligence gathering, rapid security response, protection of vulnerable communities, functioning justice systems, improved infrastructure and measures to disrupt the financial networks that sustain criminal groups.
For Zamfara, these challenges remain particularly urgent because insecurity affects not only personal safety but also agriculture, education, transportation, investment and local economic activity.
What happens next
The Zamfara State Government says it will continue working with security agencies to improve security operations and response times.
The administration is also pursuing infrastructure improvements and the use of technology to strengthen intelligence gathering and monitoring.
At the national level, the debate over ransom payments, state police and broader security-sector reform is expected to continue as Nigeria confronts persistent kidnapping and banditry.
For Lawal, however, his position remains clear: he does not believe governments or individuals should financially reward criminals who abduct people.
His account of his brothers’ abduction has given that position a personal dimension, while also highlighting the difficult choices families and authorities face in dealing with kidnapping in Nigeria.
The central challenge remains how to protect victims, dismantle criminal networks and make kidnapping less profitable without placing vulnerable communities at greater risk.
Weng Global – Stories beyond borders
Sources
Channels Television
Premium Times
Zamfara State Government
The Telegraph Nigeria
