Governor Lawal Rejects Dialogue With Bandits as 50 Zamfara Elders Remain in Captivity

• Governor Dauda Lawal has rejected negotiations with bandits despite the continued captivity of 50 Zamfara elders who were abducted during a peace mission to a notorious gang’s camp, reigniting debate over how to end insecurity in the state.

Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has reaffirmed his administration’s refusal to negotiate with bandits, even as 50 elderly residents who went on a peace mission to a notorious bandits’ camp remain in captivity.

The elders, all from Magamin Diddi village in Maradun Local Government Area, were reportedly abducted earlier this month after visiting the camp of a notorious bandit leader, Jammo, in an attempt to secure peace and gain access to their farmlands during the farming season.

The mission, organised by community leaders without government approval, ended in tragedy when the armed group allegedly rejected the peace proposal and took all 50 delegates hostage.

Reacting to the incident, Governor Lawal said the elders embarked on the dangerous mission without informing the authorities and insisted that his administration would not support negotiations with terrorists.

“They did not inform the authority before embarking on such a dangerous step,” the governor said, stressing that Zamfara’s policy against negotiating with bandits remains unchanged.

Lawal maintained that previous peace deals with armed groups failed to end insecurity and instead empowered the criminals to regroup and acquire more weapons.

The continued captivity of the elders has sparked mixed reactions across the state. While some residents support the governor’s hardline approach, others believe dialogue is necessary to end the killings, kidnappings and displacement that have plagued many communities.

The incident has once again highlighted the deep divisions over how best to tackle the worsening security crisis in Zamfara, as the fate of the 50 elders remains uncertain.