Zamfara won’t negotiate with bandits, says Dauda Lawal

Dauda Lawal, governor of Zamfara, says his administration will not negotiate with bandits terrorising the state.

The state government also denied that it released huge funds for dialogue and rehabilitation of bandits.

Abubakar Nakwada, secretary to the state government, who spoke on behalf of the governor on Thursday, said recent security memos purportedly emanating from the state government “were not only fake, but also mischievous, misleading, malicious and false”.

“This is very crucial that we address this matter with transparency and urgency,” Nakwada said.

“Ordinarily, we should have ignored this, like we have ignored many other fabricated lies aimed at distracting the administration of Gov. Dauda Lawal from its commitment in rescuing and rebuilding the state.

“But due to the sensitivity of the security, which remains one of the priorities of this administration, we are compelled to make some clarifications.

“We still maintain the position that we will not negotiate with terrorists. Our administration has been unequivocal in its approach to addressing the security challenges facing our state.”

Nakwada said the state government has implemented robust measures to tackle banditry, while prioritising integrity and accountability.

He added that the state would not try out an approach that backfired in the past.

“Unfortunately, the dialogue not only failed in the past, but also complicated the problem by empowering these terrorists to become more daring which is backfiring today,” he said.

“How can we continue to repeat the same thing and expect different results?

“We believe that the fake memo is part of the sinister attempts to undermine what we are doing towards achieving lasting peace and security across the length and breadth of the state.

“On behalf of Zamfara government, I am using this medium to call on the general public to remain vigilant and not to fall prey to the deceitful tactics employed by those who wish to derail our mission.”

He added that the state government introduced Community Protection Guards who collaborated with security establishments and law enforcement agencies to tackle banditry.

“Additionally, we have fortified our technical capabilities by deploying advanced surveillance systems and communication tools, which have significantly enhanced our ability to detect and respond to threats in real time,” Nakwada said.