FG denies El-Rufai’s claims of paying bandits, calls them false and misleading
The Office of the National Security Adviser has refuted allegations made by Nasir El-Rufai, the former Governor of Kaduna State, claiming that the federal security apparatus provides payments and other incentives to bandits, labeling the claims as baseless and contradictory to verifiable facts.
The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) stated that it has never paid ransom or offered inducements to criminals, and has repeatedly warned Nigerians against paying ransoms, according to a statement signed by Zakari Mijinyawa on Monday.
El-Rufai, on Channels Television’s Politics Today, accused the Federal Government of having a policy of negotiating with and paying armed groups instead of fighting them, which he described as “kiss-the-bandits” approach.
He stated that this ‘non-kinetic’ approach is equivalent to giving power to bandits, but the agency countered that his comments were unfair to the memory of security personnel who have lost their lives fighting against banditry.
The statement denied that the ONSA or any government agency under this administration has made ransom payments or offered incentives to criminals.
“On the contrary, we have consistently warned Nigerians against paying ransom. El-Rufai’s allegations are not only false but also contradict verifiable facts on ground.
“From inception, this government adopted a dual strategy: decisive kinetic operations alongside community engagements aimed at addressing local grievances.
“The result is evident in areas such as Igabi, Birnin Gwari, Giwa, and other parts of Kaduna that once suffered untold terror in Kaduna state but are now experiencing relative peace.”
The statement honoured members of the security services who have lost their lives in operations, and condemned a former state governor’s denial of their sacrifices on national television as ‘deeply insulting.’
ONSA also urged El-Rufai and other politicians to refrain from involving national security institutions in partisan conflicts and to avoid exploiting the fight against banditry for political gain.
