Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, has reaffirmed his administration’s firm opposition to the payment of ransom to kidnappers, revealing that he once refused to pay a ₦300 million ransom demanded for the release of his own brothers after they were abducted in 2019.

The governor made the disclosure on Thursday while speaking at the ARISE News and THISDAY Townhall Conference in Abuja, where he argued that paying ransom only strengthens criminal networks and fuels the growing menace of kidnapping across the country.

Lawal recounted that his brothers were held captive for about three months after they were kidnapped in 2019. Despite intense pressure and the kidnappers’ demand for ₦300 million, he maintained his stance against negotiating or paying any ransom.

According to him, he made it clear to the abductors that he would not give them any money, insisting that rewarding criminality would only encourage more kidnappings.

“My own brothers were kidnapped in 2019, and these criminals were demanding about ₦300 million. I told them I was not going to pay a dime. If they wanted, they could kill them,” the governor said.

He disclosed that after spending three months in captivity, his brothers were eventually released without any ransom being paid.

Lawal stressed that paying ransom has become one of the major factors sustaining kidnapping and banditry, noting that criminal groups continue to target innocent citizens because they expect financial rewards.

“Once we continue paying ransom, we are encouraging them to keep kidnapping people. If nobody pays, they will eventually realise there is nothing to gain,” he stated.

The governor reiterated that his administration will neither negotiate with armed groups nor pay ransom under any circumstances, describing the policy as essential to breaking the cycle of violent crime.

“I will not negotiate, and I will not pay ransom to any criminal, no matter what happens,” he declared.

Beyond his position on ransom payments, Lawal renewed his call for the establishment of state police, arguing that governors should have direct operational control over security agencies if they are to be held accountable for the safety of lives and property within their states.

He lamented that although governors are constitutionally regarded as chief security officers of their states, they lack the authority to issue operational directives to security agencies, a situation he said limits their ability to respond swiftly and effectively to security threats.

The governor also identified chronic underfunding, inadequate training, poor welfare packages and insufficient operational equipment as major challenges confronting the Nigeria Police Force. According to him, these issues have weakened the country’s security architecture and reduced the effectiveness of law enforcement agencies.

Lawal maintained that the long-term solution to banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes lies in sustained investment in security personnel, modern equipment, intelligence gathering and technology, rather than negotiating with criminals or paying ransom.

The Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, has disclosed that the Federal Government has increased the minimum monthly salary of Nigerian soldiers from ₦49,000 to ₦100,000 as part of efforts to improve the welfare and morale of personnel of the Armed Forces.

Musa made the disclosure during an interview with News Central ahead of the broadcast of its NC Exclusive programme scheduled for Friday.

According to the minister, the salary adjustment reflects the commitment of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to strengthening the military, even though he acknowledged that the defence sector remains underfunded.

“When they started, a soldier was collecting ₦49,000 monthly. We tried so hard; now he’s collecting ₦100,000,” Musa said.

Despite the increase, he stressed that more resources are still required to adequately equip and sustain the Armed Forces in tackling Nigeria’s growing security challenges.

On the rising wave of kidnappings across the country, Musa advocated the death penalty for convicted kidnappers, arguing that stronger punishments are necessary to deter the crime.

“I think we should do that. There must be deterrence. The laws are soft, and that’s why people take advantage. If they know once you commit an offence, there must be punishment,” he said.

Speaking on the recent abduction of schoolchildren in Oyo State, the Defence Minister described the incident as unfortunate and alleged that the kidnappers were attempting to pressure the military into releasing some of their detained commanders.

He revealed that the abductors had threatened to kill the children if security forces attempted a rescue operation.

“They are looking for leverage because we have some of their commanders with us. They feel taking these kids and holding them to ransom will make us release their commander. They are now threatening that if we come any closer, they’re going to kill all the kids,” he stated.

Musa also dismissed allegations that Nigerian soldiers are poorly fed, insisting that reports circulating on social media do not reflect the reality within the military.

Reacting to a viral video involving an influencer identified as Justice Crack, the minister alleged that the soldier deliberately removed food items from his meal to create the false impression that troops were being poorly catered for.

According to him, the meal served contained meat and other food items, but these were intentionally taken out before the video was recorded to mislead the public.

The Defence Minister maintained that the Federal Government remains committed to improving the welfare of military personnel while intensifying efforts to combat terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other security threats across the country.

ABUJA, Nigeria — Leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele, has warned that the proposed establishment of state police in Nigeria could fail if the new policing system is not backed by guaranteed funding and financial independence.

Speaking on Thursday at the ARISE NEWS Townhall on State Police, Bamidele said inadequate funding would expose state police to undue influence from politicians, wealthy individuals, corporate interests and criminal elements, thereby undermining its ability to effectively protect lives and property.

He stressed that financial autonomy would be a critical factor in determining the success of decentralised policing.

“If the state police is not well funded, it may as well be a highway to nowhere,” Bamidele said.

The Senate Leader explained that the constitutional amendment currently before the National Assembly is not intended to compel every state to immediately establish its own police force. Rather, it seeks to provide the constitutional framework that would enable states to create and operate their own police services if they choose.

According to him, the amendment proposes moving policing from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List, thereby granting states the constitutional authority to establish state police.

“It’s not every state that will immediately, after we finish amending this constitution, go to town to say, ‘We’re launching our state police.’ All we are trying to achieve with this constitutional amendment is to move this duty from the exclusive legislative list to the concurrent legislative list,” he stated.

Addressing widespread concerns over the possible misuse of state police by political office holders, Bamidele acknowledged that such fears are legitimate and must be addressed through robust legal safeguards.

He said the National Assembly is committed to enacting laws that would ensure accountability, transparency and operational independence while preventing abuse of the proposed security structure.

“The various concerns that have been expressed from different quarters are well-founded concerns that we cannot sweep under the carpet or pretend that they are not real,” he said.

The Senate Leader noted that accountability would require not only legislative intervention but also active oversight by citizens and civil society organisations.

“When it comes to issues of accountability, it’s something that will have to be addressed, both at the level of legislative intervention through the law, as well as vigilance on the part of the Nigerian people,” he added.

Bamidele further cautioned that the danger of undue influence extends beyond politicians, warning that poorly funded state police could become susceptible to manipulation by private businesses, influential organisations and criminal networks.

“It’s not only state actors or politicians that can abuse this. Business class, some other organisations, even criminals can abuse it, because he who pays the piper dictates the tune,” he warned.

To safeguard the operational independence of state police, Bamidele proposed constitutional and statutory provisions that would guarantee a stable source of funding outside the discretion of state governors.

He suggested that legislation should provide for a fixed percentage of state budgets to be dedicated to policing, with clear mechanisms governing access to and management of such funds.

“We must have a situation where there will be some first-line provisions in our law. The police chief and the police service commission must have a guaranteed source of income in a way that it will not be subject to the whims and caprices of a sitting governor,” he said.

The Senate Leader also stressed that constitutional amendment alone would not be sufficient to establish an effective state policing system, noting that comprehensive amendments to the Police Act and other relevant legislation would be necessary to define the structure, powers, operations and inter-agency relationships of state police.

He said lawmakers would also need to determine the future roles of existing paramilitary organisations and how they would coordinate with state police.

“We must see beyond constitutional amendment, because once the constitution has been amended, what is next?” he asked.

Bamidele explained that the ultimate objective of state police is to strengthen community policing and improve security at the grassroots level. However, he maintained that the initiative would deliver limited results without genuine local government autonomy.

“The whole essence of trying to emphasise on the move for state policing is because we want community policing. If we do not address the issue of local government autonomy, we will not have achieved much, even with the creation of state police,” he said.

He disclosed that the National Assembly has examined international best practices in developing a framework that would establish minimum national standards for state police operations across Nigeria.

According to him, while Nigeria has reached a stage where decentralised policing has become necessary, the success of the initiative will depend on strong legal safeguards, sustainable funding, accountability mechanisms and clearly defined operational standards.

“We are at a stage now where we must bring this to reality,” Bamidele concluded.

The renewed push for state police comes amid growing insecurity across Nigeria and increasing calls for a decentralised policing structure capable of responding more effectively to local security challenges. The National Assembly is currently considering constitutional amendments that would transfer policing from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List, enabling states to establish their own police services while operating within nationally prescribed standards.