Zamfara Hosts Northwest Security Summit as Lawal Vows No Negotiation with Bandits

Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, has declared that bandits who reject peace and continue to threaten innocent citizens must face the full consequences of the law.

Lawal made the declaration on Wednesday at the Government House, Gusau, where Zamfara hosted a three-day Northwest Security Summit organised by the Nigeria Police Force.

The summit, themed “Appraising the Security Challenges in the Northwest Region,” brought together the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu; representatives of Northwest states; heads of security and intelligence agencies; traditional rulers; community leaders; and civil society organisations.

Declaring the summit open, Lawal commended the Nigeria Police Force for convening the meeting and choosing Zamfara as its host, describing the state as a frontline area in the security crisis confronting the region.

He said the insecurity in the Northwest had gone beyond isolated criminal incidents, noting that organised networks were involved in banditry, kidnapping and cattle rustling across state borders.

According to him, the activities of the criminal groups have continued to threaten livelihoods, food security, education, investment and the social fabric of communities across the region.

The governor also identified urban security threats, including thuggery, substance abuse and radical infiltration, as issues requiring urgent attention.

Lawal said the cross-border nature of criminal networks made coordinated security operations and intelligence-sharing essential.

He called for stronger mechanisms for real-time intelligence sharing, coordinated operations, inter-state surveillance, community policing and sustained attacks on the financial, logistical and supply networks supporting organised crime.

“We must, therefore, challenge ourselves to leave Gusau not merely with another diagnosis of insecurity, but with actionable options,” the governor said.

He urged security authorities to focus on disrupting the supply chains that sustain criminal enterprises, including routes, markets, intermediaries, financiers and other facilitators.

Lawal further challenged the summit to find effective ways of restricting the movement of criminals through forests, communities and borders while ensuring that legitimate commercial activities are not disrupted.

He also called for the identification and dismantling of networks of informants and facilitators who provide support to criminal groups.

The governor stressed that bandits who refuse peace and continue to terrorise innocent residents should be confronted through lawful means, rather than allowed to operate with impunity.

Speaking earlier, the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, described the security of the Northwest as a collective responsibility, stressing the strategic importance of the region to Nigeria.

Disu said the police and governments across the Northwest had resolved to work together by sharing intelligence and coordinating operations against criminal elements.

“We have made up our minds to take the fight to these criminals. We have made up our minds to do this; that is why we summoned this summit,” the IGP said.

He assured residents that the Nigeria Police Force would continue to deploy its personnel, capabilities and partnerships to secure the region while supporting state governments and other security agencies.

Disu, however, emphasised the importance of community participation in the fight against insecurity, noting that policing becomes more effective when it is supported by the people.

The summit is expected to produce practical strategies for strengthening regional security coordination and confronting the networks responsible for banditry, kidnapping and other criminal activities across the Northwest.