No Amnesty for Terrorists, Zamfara Governor Insists as Security Spending Rises
Hussaini Ibrahim 
Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, at the inauguration of the training held in the state Government House, Gusau, Zamfara State.
ZAMFARA, Nigeria – Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal is rejecting claims that his administration is pursuing reconciliation with terrorists, insisting that the government remains firmly committed to a military-led strategy to restore security.
In a five-minute video message released on Sunday, Lawal says speculation about dialogue with armed groups is false and misleading, stressing that his government is investing heavily in security hardware and logistics.
“There has been no reconciliation with any terrorist,” the governor says. “We have purchased 15 armoured vehicles, another 15 are on the way, and each vehicle costs over ₦700 million.”
Lawal explains that the procurement is part of a broader plan to strengthen the operational capacity of security agencies battling banditry across Zamfara’s vast rural areas.
The governor says his administration is prioritising intelligence gathering, logistics support and close coordination with federal security forces to reclaim communities plagued by years of violence.
“Our focus is to support security agencies with the tools they need to protect lives and property,” he adds.
The remarks follow renewed public debate over whether negotiation should form part of Zamfara’s security response, amid persistent attacks, kidnappings and disruptions to farming and trade.
Zamfara remains one of Nigeria’s worst-hit states by banditry, with repeated assaults forcing mass displacement and deepening food insecurity.
Lawal insists that his administration will not compromise on citizen safety, describing the security investments as “difficult but necessary decisions” to stabilise the state.
“We will sustain these efforts until lasting peace returns,” he says.
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Juliet Jacob 
Korede Abdullah 
