Governor Dauda Lawal has restated his administration's steadfast refusal to engage in negotiations with bandits across Zamfara.
Governor Lawal's attendance as the Guest of Honour at the Ministry of Religious Affairs' weekly preaching session provided an opportunity to emphasize the significance of self-discipline and forthrightness among religious leaders.
According to Sulaiman Bala Idris, the Governor's spokesperson, the weekly preaching session has been a long-standing tradition in the state.
He went on to say that the Governor charged leaders from all sectors to be sincere in their interactions and persistent in their prayers for a more peaceful Zamfara State.
According to the statement, “Governor Dauda Lawal, during his remarks at the weekly preaching programme in Gusau, elaborated on the negative impact of negotiating with bandits, stressing that it only encourages the hoodlums and creates an atmosphere of fear and insecurity for law-abiding citizens.
“He emphasised the need to acknowledge the reality that the criminals have proven themselves untrustworthy in past dialogues. He said that continuing to negotiate with them will not produce any favourable results.
“It is time to reassess our approach and consider more forceful tactics to handle the matter decisively”.
Governor Lawal also advised traditional and religious leaders to always align with the truth and to speak the truth regardless of who is involved.
He charged political leaders and civilians with putting the security of the state before politics, emphasizing that Zamfara's peace and stability are non-negotiable.
Earlier, Sheikh Ahmad Umar Kanoma, Executive Chairman of Zamfara State Zakat and Waqaf, delivered a lecture on the importance of dialogue, defining the criteria of true discussion in Islam as well as situations that render dialogue null and useless.
