Presidency Fires Back at El-Rufai: Denies Ransom Payments to Bandits

The Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) has refuted claims made by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, alleging that the security apparatus provides payments and other incentives to bandits.

El-Rufai had earlier, while appearing on a programme on Channels Television, claimed that the Federal Government was sponsoring bandits.

He alleged that the government was using a national policy of negotiating with and compensating armed groups rather than confronting them.

ONSA, in a statement by Zakari Mijinyawa, described the allegations as baseless, stating that the claims contradict verifiable facts on the ground.

ONSA said it has never engaged in ransom payments or inducements to criminals and pointed out that the administration has repeatedly warned Nigerians against paying ransoms.

The agency described the comments as unfair to the memory of security personnel who have died in the fight against banditry.

The statement read, “At no time has the ONSA, or any arm of government under this administration, engaged in ransom payments or inducements 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 the ground.

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“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 also paid tribute to members of the security services who lost their lives in operations, saying it was “deeply insulting” for a former state governor to deny those sacrifices on national television.

ONSA urged El-Rufai and other political actors to stop dragging national security institutions into partisan battles and said the fight against banditry should not be used for political point-scoring.