FG Denies El Rufai Claim On Paying Bandits

The Federal Government has rejected allegations by former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, that security agencies are coordinating payments and inducements to bandits.

The Office of the National Security Adviser said the claims were unfounded and not backed by evidence.

In a statement issued by Zakari Mijinyawa on behalf of the ONSA, the government insisted it has never paid ransom or offered incentives to criminal groups. It explained that its policy has always been to discourage ransom payments while sustaining military pressure and engaging communities to address local grievances.

El-Rufai had, during a television interview on Sunday, accused the administration of adopting a soft approach to banditry by negotiating with and compensating armed groups instead of confronting them through force. He argued that such a policy only strengthened the bandits.

Responding, the ONSA described his remarks as unfair, especially to security personnel who have died in the fight against banditry. It added that areas such as Igabi, Birnin Gwari, and Giwa in Kaduna, which previously witnessed widespread violence, are now enjoying relative peace due to ongoing military operations.

The statement also noted that the government’s approach to insecurity combines both armed interventions and dialogue with affected communities, stressing that progress recorded so far contradicts the former governor’s claims.

The ONSA urged political figures to avoid dragging national security institutions into partisan debates, warning that the fight against banditry should not be reduced to political arguments. It restated the government’s commitment to protecting citizens and honoring the sacrifices of security operatives who lost their lives in the line of duty.