The governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal, has reiterated his administration’s position of not engaging in dialogue with bandits in the state.
A statement issued by the senior special assistant to the governor on media and publicity, Suleiman Bala, said Mr Lawal gave the reassurance during weekly preaching organised by the ministry of religious affairs on Friday.
According to him, negotiating with the criminals would only embolden them to carry out their heinous crimes and also create an atmosphere of fear for law-abiding citizens
Mr Lawal also charged leaders from all sectors to uphold truthfulness in their engagements and to be unwavering in their prayers for a peaceful Zamfara State.
The statement read: “Governor Dauda Lawal, during a remark at the Weekly Preaching Session in Gusau, elaborated on the negative impact of negotiating with bandits, stressing that it only encourages them and creates an atmosphere of fear and insecurity for law-abiding citizens.
“He emphasised the need to acknowledge the reality—the criminals have proven themselves untrustworthy in past dialogues. Continuing to negotiate with them would not produce any favourable results. It is time to reassess our approach and consider more forceful tactics to handle the matter decisively.
“Governor Lawal further urged traditional and religious leaders to always align with the truth, to voice out the truth no matter who is involved.
“He tasked political leaders and citizens to prioritise the state’s security over politics, emphasising that the peace and stability of Zamfara is non-negotiable.”
Earlier, the Executive Chairman of Zamfara State Zakat and Waqaf, Sheikh Ahmad Kanoma, presented a lecture on the significance of dialogue, outlining the prerequisites of genuine dialogue in Islam and circumstances that render engaging in dialogue null and void.
