Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has warned that negotiating peace with armed groups while they still possess weapons weakens government authority and prevents lasting peace in the North-West.
The governor made this known on Wednesday during a lecture at the National Institute for Security Studies (NISS) in Abuja. He addressed participants of the Executive Intelligence Management Course (EIMC) 18 on the topic, “Non-state Actors in Security Management: Issues, Challenges, and Prospects for Peace and Development in Africa – A Zamfara State Perspective.”
Lawal said any peace process that allows bandits or other armed groups to keep their weapons only encourages lawlessness.
“Allowing armed groups to keep their weapons while setting peace terms simply delays violence and compromises state sovereignty,” he said.
He noted that dialogue must go hand in hand with disarmament, reconciliation, and justice if peace is to be sustainable. The governor cautioned against unregulated peace talks in the North-West, warning that such arrangements could embolden criminal groups rather than end the crisis.
Governor Lawal explained that his administration has adopted a new security strategy that focuses on coordination, community involvement, and intelligence sharing. According to him, the state government has strengthened collaboration among security agencies through a unified State Security Council and has set up Community Protection Guards (CPG) to assist the military and police in local operations.
He also disclosed that peace committees have been created in all 14 local government areas of the state. These committees, he said, are helping to mediate local conflicts, rebuild trust, and promote cooperation between residents and security agencies.
Lawal pointed out that the roots of Zamfara’s insecurity lie in economic hardship, the spread of illegal arms, the breakdown of traditional leadership structures, and rising youth unemployment. He added that addressing these issues is central to the state’s development agenda.
The governor further revealed that Zamfara is working closely with the Office of the National Security Adviser and international partners, including Colombia, on programmes aimed at preventing and countering violent extremism.
Zamfara has been one of the states most affected by banditry in northern Nigeria, with thousands of people killed or displaced in recent years. Previous state governments had entered into peace agreements with bandit leaders, offering amnesty and incentives in exchange for a ceasefire. However, many of those agreements collapsed, leading to renewed attacks.
Lawal’s comments reflect a shift from earlier approaches that relied heavily on negotiation with armed groups. His administration appears focused on rebuilding state control, promoting community security, and addressing the social and economic factors that fuel violence.
By insisting that dialogue without disarmament undermines state authority, the governor has sent a clear message that the era of granting concessions to armed groups without accountability may be coming to an end in Zamfara.
