Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal revealed Thursday he refused to pay a ₦300 million ransom for his kidnapped brothers in 2019, arguing such payments fuel Nigeria’s crime machinery.
The governor’s account of his personal struggle highlights the severe challenges facing the Northwest, where kidnapping for ransom has evolved into a lucrative parallel economy. Lawal sought to illustrate a hardline stance, maintaining that negotiating from a position of weakness is a fundamental error.
Governor Dauda Lawal details 2019 ransom standoff at Abuja summit
He told the criminals in 2019: “I’m not going to pay a dime. If you like, go and kill them.” This philosophy now guides his administration in a state where insecurity remains the primary obstacle to progress and stability.
This firm posture against negotiation mirrors a larger national debate regarding the limitations of the current centralized security architecture. While Lawal refuses to pay ransoms, he and other governors argue they are currently “chief security officers” without real command over the security apparatus.
The Abuja town hall, themed “Building National Consensus for State Police and Security,” served as a forum for constitutional reform, with leaders arguing that the current structure has failed to protect lives and property.
Governor Dauda Lawal used the Abuja summit to deliver a personal insight into the risks of negotiating with bandits. He recounted how, seven years ago, his brothers were seized by armed men who demanded ₦300 million for their freedom. His response was a calculated refusal to fund criminal networks.
“By the time we continue to pay ransom to these people, we are encouraging them to be kidnapping people more and more,” the governor explained at the ThisDay Dome, the venue for the ARISE TV event.
The governor argued that the kidnapping industry persists because it is frequently rewarded. His stance is a direct challenge to the status quo, as he insists that removing the financial incentive would force criminals to reconsider their actions.
Lawal’s refusal in 2019 eventually saw his brothers released without a ransom payment, a point he used to emphasize that criminals think twice when the expected reward vanishes. His administration is now focused on local solutions, such as the Community Protection Guard (CPG), to secure the state.
Building consensus for localized security control
The town hall meeting saw a convergence of political will from various sectors of the Nigerian leadership. Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ben Kalu, emphasized that the centralized policing system has failed citizens. He noted that the legislature is actively considering the creation of state police to bring security closer to the people.
Kalu, who chairs the House Committee on Constitution Review, stated that public hearings have revealed a general consensus among Nigerians that the current structure must be retooled.
To avoid the potential for abuse, Kalu pointed to the existing state high courts as a precedent. He asked how many of these courts have been used by governors to unjustly jail opponents, suggesting that institutional safeguards can prevent political weaponization.
Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, the Senate Leader, added that funding is the key to sustaining such a force. He argued that state police must have fiscal independence, suggesting that the police chief and commission should have a guaranteed source of income to remain independent of executive whims.
Addressing the contradictions of state security powers
Former Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, brought a practical perspective to the debate by describing the “inherent contradiction” of his time in office. He lamented being called a chief security officer while having no legal enablement to enforce discipline within the police.
Oshiomhole noted that while his administration spent more on vehicles and communication gadgets than the federal government did in Edo State, he had no power to prevent the mismanagement of those assets. He maintained that if governors are held responsible for security, they must possess operational control.
Security expert Bukar Usman reminded the panel that the “human factor” is as critical as the law itself. He warned that money alone cannot solve the problem if it is misappropriated or if reporting chains are broken.
For Usman, the success of state police depends on whether agencies are properly constituted and whether they meet regularly to submit reports. He argued that weakness often lies in the breakdown of these administrative chains rather than a simple lack of funds.
Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State, joining the event virtually, supported the creation of state police but called for a more comprehensive restructuring of the federal system. Soludo highlighted a fiscal imbalance, noting that while the federal government retains 53 percent of national revenue, the 36 states share only 26 percent.
He advocated for a review of the revenue allocation formula to enable states to effectively discharge their responsibilities. Soludo also called for judicial reforms to align the system with a truly federal structure, citing long-duration litigation as a major barrier.
Safeguards against the risk of political interference
Despite the growing support, voices at the town hall urged caution regarding implementation. Former lawmaker Nnenna Elendu-Ukeje questioned whether the process had been well thought through, pointing to the complexity of crimes such as terrorism, banditry, and illegal mining.
She raised concerns about the proliferation of arms and how state forces would interact with existing agencies like the Civil Defence. For Elendu-Ukeje, the “nitty-gritty” issues of training and funding must be dealt with before the system is finalized.
Luck Irabor, the former Chief of Defence Staff, warned that the “disease” affecting the federal police must not be allowed to infect new state entities. He proposed the establishment of uniform training institutions to ensure consistent policing principles across state lines.
Irabor also stressed the need for adequate representation from every local government area during recruitment to prevent the inclusion of criminal elements into the forces. This technical focus on logistics and training is seen as vital for the reform’s long-term success.
The call for state police is now a central topic in the All Progressives Congress faces criticism over alleged substitution of various policy priorities, though the consensus in Abuja was driven by the immediate need for safety. As the nation watches the constitutional review process, the experience of leaders like Governor Lawal serves as a reminder of the human cost of insecurity. For the people of Zamfara, a secure state is not just a political goal; it is a necessity for the survival of their communities and the restoration of their local economy. Today’s debate is an essential step toward ensuring that no family has to face a ₦300 million demand for the freedom of their loved ones.
