By SHUAIB SADIQ

Gov. Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has said that negotiations allowing armed groups to keep their weapons while setting peace terms will prolong violence and weaken state sovereignty.

This was contained in a statement by his media aide, Suleiman Bala Idris, on Wednesday, in Gusau.

Lawal said this while speaking at the Executive Intelligence Management Course (EIMC) 18, National Institute for Security Studies, on Wednesday in Abuja.

The theme of the lecture is: "Non-state Actors in Security Management: Issues, Challenges, and Prospects for Peace and Development in Africa - A Zamfara State Perspective.?

Participants of the EIMC 18 were from agencies vital to Nigeria's security framework, along with their counterparts from Chad, Ghana, Rwanda, Somalia, and The Gambia.

Lawal said the event serves as an opportunity to reflect on the Zamfara experience, which, in many ways, paralleled the broader local, national and continental struggles for peace, stability, and development.

"Over the past two decades, Africa's security landscape has changed beyond traditional definitions.

"The idea that the state has exclusive control over the use of force is being increasingly challenged by a variety of non-state actors. These include community vigilantes, civil defence groups, insurgents, bandits, and transnational criminal networks.

"Zamfara State's security challenges stem from years of grievances, economic issues, competition for resources, and climate change.

"Factors such as the spread of small arms due to regional conflicts, weakened traditional authority, inadequate law enforcement, and rising youth unemployment have exacerbated the situation.

"When we assumed office in 2023, it was made very clear that the security of life and property remains the essence of the modern state system and thus no price is too high to pay.

"Yet, effective security management cannot succeed without the active participation of the local community. Our strategy, therefore, has been anchored on three mutually reinforcing pillars.

"We improved coordination among security agencies through a unified State Security Council led by mem," he said.

Lawal said that his administration had established Community Protection Guards (CPG), to support law enforcement; enhanced intelligence sharing among traditional institutions, local government councils, and security agencies for a coordinated response to threats.

He said the state government also set up peace committees in the LGAs comprising emirs, Islamic clerics, youth and women leaders, to mediate conflicts, rebuild trust and foster durable peace.

According to Lawal, the state government is collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser and development partners on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (PCVE), focusing on rehabilitation, reintegration, and trauma healing.

The governor also frowned at the ongoing unregulated peace efforts being undertaken in parts of the North-West with violent non-state actors.

"Dialogue can aid conflict management, but true peace requires disarmament and reconciliation without control equates to surrender.

"Allowing armed groups to keep their weapons while setting peace terms simply delays violence and compromises state sovereignty.

"At this crucial time, peace efforts should be strong, coordinated, state-led, and backed by legitimate authority," he said.

Lawal highlighted that the state must show the capacity and the will to enforce peace, as sustainable peace could only be achieved when armed actors acknowledged the rule of law and the government?s commitment to protect its citizens.

The statement also quoted, J.O. Obama, Commandant, National Institute for Security Studies, as saying that the governor's presentation tasked the participants to effective policing and provided guidance to the cross-border issues.

"Today, His Excellency has brought to us what the facts are, what the issues, challenges, and prospects are for a future Zamfara.

"For me, it was revising what I know about Zamfara. I grew up there, and my career has taken me back there. I know every inch of bitterness that was thrown at him when he was contesting for governor.

"It is now history; he has transformed the state from one of negativity to one of positivity," he said. (NAN)

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