Governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal, has restated that his government will not sit and dialogue with terrorists ravaging the State.
Lawal, who spoke on Friday while serving as the Guest of Honour at the Ministry of Religious Affairs’ weekly preaching session, described the programme as a chance to emphasise the necessity of self-discipline and forthrightness among religious leaders.
According to a statement by the Governor’s Spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, the weekly preaching session has been a long-standing tradition in Zamfara, adding that the Governor had charged leaders from all sectors to be sincere in their engagements and to be consistent in their prayers for a peaceful Zamfara State.
According the statement: “Governor Dauda Lawal, during a remark at the Weekly Preaching Session in Gusau, elaborated on the negative impact of negotiating with bandits, stressing that it only encourages them and creates an atmosphere of fear and insecurity for law-abiding citizens.
“He emphasised the need to acknowledge the reality – the criminals have proven themselves untrustworthy in past dialogues. Continuing to negotiate with them would not produce any favourable results. It is time to reassess our approach and consider more forceful tactics to handle the matter decisively.
“Governor Lawal further urged traditional and religious leaders to always align with the truth, to voice out the truth no matter who is involved.
“He tasked political leaders and citizens to prioritise the state’s security over politics, emphasising that the peace and stability of Zamfara is non-negotiable.”