Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State, on Monday, vowed never to negotiate with bandits in the state.
Lawal said Nigerians are empowering bandits when they pay ransom for their kidnapped relatives.
Speaking during a media chat in Gusau, the state capital, the governor said the bandits use ransoms collected to purchase weapons.
According to Lawal, bandits see kidnappings and ransom payment as business.
He said: “My stance has always been no negotiation with bandits from day one and I still maintain that.
“People are more into it because it is more like a business now, people are now asking for ransoms and you go ahead to pay, you are empowering the bandits.
“These ransoms are what they use to get weapons. If they don’t get the money where do you think they would get the weapons from?”
Zamfara: Ransom payments empowering bandits to buy weapons- Gov Lawal