Kaduna denies El-Rufai’s claim of ₦1bn payment to bandits, demands apology

The Kaduna State Government has strongly denied allegations by former Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai that the current administration paid ₦1 billion to bandits, describing the claims as false, politically motivated and lacking any evidence.

In a statement issued by the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Dr. Sule Shu’aibu, the government said El-Rufai’s remarks—made during a Channels Television interview—were “a fabrication” aimed at misleading the public and undermining ongoing security efforts in the state.

The statement expressed disappointment that a former governor would, in the words of the government, “recklessly weaponise an issue as sensitive as security for political grandstanding,” noting that such actions threatened public confidence and social harmony.

According to the government, Governor Uba Sani has repeatedly made it clear that his administration has never paid, negotiated with, or funded bandits in any form.

The Commissioner stressed that the governor “does not know any bandits and has never authorised the disbursement of any ransom, allowance or inducement.”

The statement also cited previous clarifications issued by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), which had earlier dismissed similar allegations by El-Rufai as baseless and inconsistent with Nigeria’s security policies.

ONSA had stated that no state or federal agency pays ransom to criminal groups.

The Kaduna State Government noted that its security strategy relies on strengthened military and intelligence operations, community engagement, and improvements in education, healthcare and livelihoods—approaches meant to address the root causes of insecurity without empowering criminal elements.

It added that grassroots security groups, including those in Birnin Gwari—one of the areas worst hit by banditry in recent years—had publicly refuted El-Rufai’s claims, describing them as misleading.

The government also referenced past allegations made by individuals from El-Rufai’s own administration accusing him of using public funds to appease certain groups, saying such history made his new accusations “paradoxical.”

Since Governor Uba Sani assumed office, the statement said, security agencies have worked more efficiently, and several communities, schools and farmlands previously affected by violence have reopened.

The government challenged the former governor to present verifiable evidence such as bank documents, memos or security reports to support his claims, noting that none had been produced after similar allegations in September 2025.

The statement demanded that El-Rufai retract his comments and publicly apologise within one week or face legal action by the state government.

Kaduna State, it added, remains committed to transparent leadership and effective security management, insisting that “the era of sensational claims without evidence has passed.”