Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has cautioned that peace negotiations allowing armed groups to retain their weapons only postpone violence and undermine state sovereignty.
The governor issued the warning while delivering a lecture to participants of the Executive Intelligence Management Course (EIMC) 18 at the National Institute for Security Studies (NISS) in Abuja on Wednesday.
In a statement by his spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, Governor Lawal’s lecture — themed “Non-State Actors in Security Management: Issues, Challenges, and Prospects for Peace and Development in Africa A Zamfara State Perspective”, explored the evolving role of non-state actors in Africa’s security landscape.
Participants at the event included representatives from key Nigerian security agencies and their counterparts from Chad, Ghana, Rwanda, Somalia, and Gambia.
Governor Lawal explained that Zamfara’s security challenges reflect broader national and continental realities rooted in economic hardship, climate change, weak institutions, and proliferation of small arms.
“Dialogue can aid conflict management, but true peace requires disarmament. Reconciliation without control equates to surrender,” the governor said.
“Allowing armed groups to keep their weapons while setting peace terms only delays violence and compromises state sovereignty.”
He highlighted the three pillars of his administration’s security strategy: enhanced coordination among security agencies, establishment of Community Protection Guards (CPG) to support law enforcement, and improved intelligence sharing between traditional institutions, local governments, and security agencies.
Governor Lawal also emphasized the formation of peace committees in all local government areas, involving traditional leaders, women, and youth to mediate conflicts and rebuild trust. He added that Zamfara collaborates with the Office of the National Security Adviser and international partners, including Colombia, on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (PCVE).
Meanwhile, Commandant of the NISS, J.O. Odama (FSI+, FDC), commended Governor Lawal for transforming Zamfara’s security outlook and providing valuable insights for intelligence officers.
“He has turned Zamfara from a state of negativity to one of positivity,” Odama said.
