The Federal Government has dismissed allegations by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, that security agencies are involved in paying or offering incentives to bandits.
In a statement issued on Monday by Zakari Mijinyawa on behalf of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the claim was described as unfounded and contrary to facts on the ground.
“At no time has the ONSA, or any arm of government under this administration, engaged in ransom payments or inducements to criminals,” the statement read.
“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.”
El-Rufai, while speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Sunday, had accused the government of pursuing a “kiss-the-bandits” policy.
He alleged that the Federal Government preferred negotiating with and compensating armed groups instead of confronting them militarily.
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He argued that such a “non-kinetic” strategy only served to strengthen criminal gangs.
But ONSA pushed back, insisting that the remarks were unfair to security personnel who had lost their lives in anti-banditry operations.
The office noted that the administration’s counter-terrorism blueprint combined military action with community engagement, a dual approach it said has brought relative peace to troubled parts of Kaduna, including Birnin Gwari, Giwa, and Igabi.
“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 added.
The security office further described El-Rufai’s comments as “deeply insulting” to the sacrifices of fallen soldiers and urged political leaders not to use the nation’s security challenges for partisan advantage.
