Zamfara governor insists on no dialogue with bandits

On Friday, Governor Dauda Lawal reaffirmed his administration's unwavering stance of refraining from engaging in negotiations with bandits in the Zamfara region.

The attendance of Governor Lawal as the distinguished guest at the Ministry of Religious Affairs' regular preaching session provided a platform to emphasize the significance of self-discipline and integrity within the religious leadership.

According to a statement issued by Sulaiman Bala Idris, the spokesperson for the Governor, it was mentioned that the weekly sermon session has been a well-established customary practice throughout the state.

The Governor emphasized the importance of sincerity and unwavering prayers for a more peaceful Zamfara State, urging leaders from many sectors to uphold these values in their activities.

Governor Dauda Lawal expounded over the adverse consequences of engaging in negotiations with bandits during his address at the weekly preaching program in Gusau. He emphasized that such actions serve to incentivize the activities of criminals and foster an environment of apprehension and instability for law-abiding members of society.

The speaker underscored the need of recognizing the fact that the offenders have demonstrated their lack of trustworthiness in previous discussions.

According to his statement, engaging in further negotiations with them is unlikely to yield any favorable outcomes.

The current situation necessitates a reevaluation of our strategy and the exploration of more assertive methods to effectively address the issue at hand.

Governor Lawal further emphasized the need of traditional and religious leaders consistently adhering to the principles of truthfulness, urging them to courageously express the truth regardless of the individuals implicated.

The individual assigned political authorities and individuals with the responsibility of giving precedence to the security of the state over political considerations. This underscores the notion that the preservation of peace and stability in Zamfara is an absolute imperative that cannot be subject to negotiation.

The lecture on the importance of dialogue was delivered by Sheikh Ahmad Umar Kanoma, the Executive Chairman of Zamfara State Zakat and Waqaf. During the presentation, Sheikh Kanoma discussed the essential conditions for true discussion in Islam and identified the situations that invalidate the act of engaging in dialogue.