Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, has revealed that he rejected a ₦300 million ransom demand when his brothers were kidnapped in 2019, insisting that paying criminals only fuels more abductions.
Speaking at the ARISE News and THISDAY Townhall Conference in Abuja, Lawal said he took a firm stance against the kidnappers despite the personal risk.
“My own brothers were kidnapped in 2019, and these criminals were demanding about ₦300 million. I said, look, I’m not going to pay a dime. If you like, go and kill them,” he recounted.
The governor explained that his brothers were eventually released after three months in captivity without any ransom being paid. He stressed that his position remains unchanged: “I will not negotiate, and I will not pay ransom to any criminal, no matter what happens.”
Lawal used the experience to argue for the creation of state police, noting that governors are often described as “chief security officers”
