I Won’t Pay A Dime — Zamfara Governor Reveals How Bandits Demanded ₦600m For His Brothers

The Zamfara State Governor has reiterated his opposition to negotiating with bandits, warning that paying ransom for kidnapped victims only strengthens criminal groups and enables them to acquire sophisticated weapons for further attacks.

The governor maintained that his position against negotiations had remained firm since the beginning of his administration, arguing that ransom payments had transformed kidnapping into a lucrative criminal enterprise.

According to Bush Radio Academy, the governor made the remarks during an interview with the Nigerian Tribune on Saturday, where he explained why he believed negotiating with bandits was not an effective solution to the state’s security challenges.

“My stand has always been no negotiation with the bandits, from day one. And I still maintain that stand,” he declared.

He argued that money paid by families to secure the release of abducted relatives provides criminals with the financial resources needed to purchase weapons and sustain their operations.

“Kidnapping people and asking for ransom is empowering the bandits. For every naira that you pay, that is what they use to acquire sophisticated weapons,” the governor said.

He questioned how bandits would continue acquiring advanced weapons if they were unable to collect ransom payments from their victims’ families.

The governor also disclosed that he had personally experienced the trauma of kidnapping in 2025 when two of his biological brothers were abducted by bandits.

According to him, the kidnappers demanded ₦300 million for each of his brothers, bringing the total ransom request to ₦600 million. However, he said he refused to pay the money, insisting that he would not financially empower criminals to continue terrorising innocent people.

“It happened to me in 2025, when two of my blood brothers were kidnapped. The first thing they asked for was a ransom of ₦300 million per person. I said I was not going to pay a dime,” he recounted.

He explained that the kidnappers had gone directly to his brothers’ residences and taken them away, questioning why he should reward their actions by paying the demanded ransom.

The governor further insisted that his resolve remained unchanged despite the danger facing his family members, arguing that paying criminals would only encourage further abductions.

He also criticised previous attempts by the former administration to negotiate with bandits, questioning whether those efforts had achieved lasting improvements in security.

“Secondly, if you look at the history of all the negotiations that took place under the previous administration, did they yield any positive results? The answer is no,” he said.

The governor further argued that bandit groups operate without a unified leadership structure, making it difficult to establish agreements that all factions would respect.

He explained that negotiating with one group could provoke rival groups to launch attacks in an attempt to demonstrate their influence and demand similar recognition.

“Remember, these people are not organized. If you decide to negotiate with A, another person will feel that you are underrating him. He will show you that he is also somebody to recognise. So, how do you negotiate with these kinds of people?” he asked.

According to the governor, the absence of central leadership and accountability among the criminal groups makes it difficult to enforce any agreements reached through negotiations.

“Nobody takes responsibility. Nobody takes leadership. They operate in isolation,” he added.

His remarks have renewed debate over the most effective strategies for tackling banditry in Zamfara State and other parts of northern Nigeria, particularly the roles of ransom payments, negotiations and sustained security operations in efforts to protect vulnerable communities.