Peace Deals Have Failed, We Won’t Negotiate With Bandits — Zamfara Governor

Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has reaffirmed his administration’s opposition to negotiating with bandits, insisting that peace deals and truces with criminal groups are not part of the state’s security strategy.

The governor made the position known during an interview with the BBC Hausa Service, where he reiterated that his government remains committed to a military-led approach to ending banditry and restoring security across Zamfara State.

Lawal said any individual or group engaging in negotiations with armed gangs does so without the backing or approval of the state government, stressing that such arrangements do not represent the official position of his administration.

According to him, Zamfara has consistently maintained a firm stance against dialogue with criminal elements responsible for killings, kidnappings, cattle rustling and attacks on communities.

“Seeking a truce with bandits is not my opinion and never will be,” the governor said, making it clear that his administration would not compromise with groups that have terrorised residents and destabilised communities across the state.

Lawal also dismissed reports of recent peace arrangements allegedly reached in some parts of Zamfara, stating that the state government neither authorised nor endorsed such initiatives.

The governor expressed confidence in the ability of Nigeria’s security agencies to defeat banditry, arguing that no armed group possesses greater power than the Nigerian state.

“The government is stronger than any bandit group,” he said.

He maintained that with sustained military operations, improved intelligence gathering and stronger coordination among security agencies, criminal networks operating in Zamfara and the wider North-West region can be dismantled.

Lawal further argued that previous attempts to negotiate with bandits had largely failed to deliver lasting peace and, in some cases, strengthened criminal groups by giving them room to regroup and expand their operations.

According to him, the current security strategy being implemented by his administration, in collaboration with federal security agencies, is already producing positive results in several areas that were previously considered high-risk flashpoints.

The governor noted that intensified military operations have helped restore relative calm in some communities that had suffered repeated attacks from armed groups.

While acknowledging that security challenges remain, Lawal urged residents to remain patient and continue supporting the efforts of security agencies through vigilance and cooperation.

He assured citizens that his administration would not relent in its determination to confront criminal elements and restore lasting peace across the state.

The governor reiterated that sustainable peace can only be achieved through decisive action against bandits and other criminal groups, rather than through negotiated settlements that have repeatedly failed to address the root causes of insecurity.

“Our focus remains on supporting security agencies and ensuring that criminal networks are dismantled. Lasting peace will come through firm action against banditry, not through negotiations,” he maintained.

Lawal's comments come amid ongoing debates in parts of the North-West over whether dialogue and peace accords should be pursued alongside military operations as a strategy for addressing insecurity in the region.