What I Did When My Own Brothers Were Kidnapped – Gov. Lawal

The Governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal, has insisted that his administration would not negotiate with or pay ransom to bandits.

Naija News reports that the Governor reiterated his stance on Thursday during the Arise News Town Hall on State Police.

According to him, back in 2019, his own brothers were kidnapped, and the kidnappers demanded a ₦300 million ransom.

The Governor disclosed that he, however, told the kidnappers to go ahead and kill them if they liked because he wouldn’t pay a ransom.

He emphasized that kidnappers will continue to get emboldened and encouraged to continue their evil acts if people pay ransom.

Lawal also declared the readiness of his administration to fund state police to fight criminals.

“My own brothers were kidnapped in 2019, and these criminals are demanding ₦300 million. I told them, ‘Look, I’m not going to pay a dime. If you like, go ahead and kill them,’ because if we continue paying ransoms to these people, we are encouraging them to kidnap more people,” Governor Lawal said at the event.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian military has carried out a precision air strike on a major bandits’ enclave at Dogon Dawa, along the Niger-Kaduna-Zamfara border.

Security sources told Zagazola Makama that the operation was conducted after intelligence revealed that a large number of armed bandits had gathered in the area to coordinate attacks on nearby communities.

The air strike reportedly hit the gathering, neutralising several members of the group and disrupting their planned operations.

According to operational sources, intelligence obtained after the strike showed that hundreds of motorcycles were assembled at the location.