The Governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal, has distanced his administration from plans to negotiate with bandits in the state.
Lawal, while speaking on Channels TV, on Tuesday, also said contrary to media reports, people were not abducted by bandits in the Maradun Local Government Area of the state.
There had been reports claiming that bandits abducted over fifty women and children in an attack on Kakin Dawa village.
Governor Lawal, however, described the news as false and inaccurate.
He said, “I am not aware of that incident. I am here in Zamfara State, I haven’t heard about that incident.
“I am not aware that 50 people were kidnapped in Maradun Local Government. Whosever gave you that information is not correct.”
The governor stated that the state government is working closely with the police, military, and other security agencies to tackle state insecurity.
He explained that the collaboration has paid off as kidnapping incidents have drastically reduced.
According to Lawal, the North-Western state has not recorded any kidnapping incident in the last six months.
He said, “There may be so pockets of kidnapping here and there, that I can’t rule. These and all the measures put in place are not what it used to be in the past. In the past, hardly a day passed by without hearing that 300 people were being killed.
“Within the last six months, I don’t think there has been any such incident reported in Zamfara State. Insecurity is there, but we are making conscious efforts to make sure that we handle that to the best of our ability.”
When asked if his administration would consider negotiating with bandits, the governor rejected the idea.
He said the Zamfara State Government is not in any rush to strike a deal with the militants for peace to reign in the state.
Lawal said, “My position has always been very clear in terms of negotiation and the nature of negotiation with these bandits.
“I am not in a rush in negotiating with these people. I am not going to negotiate with any bandit. That has always been my stand. I believe you can only negotiate at a point of strength and not as a point of weakness.”