Nasir El-Rufai, the former Governor of Kaduna State, has once again challenged the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, reaffirming his claim that the Nigerian government allocates substantial funds to armed bandits, despite official denials from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
El-Rufai initially raised these concerns during a Sunday interview on Channels Television, where he accused the government of implementing a “kiss-the-bandits” strategy. According to him, this approach involves providing monthly stipends and food supplies to insurgents under the pretext of a non-kinetic security policy.
“I refuse to accept the idea of paying bandits, giving them monthly allowances, or supplying them with food under the guise of non-kinetic operations. This is absurd; it only serves to empower criminals,” El-Rufai stated emphatically.
Responding to these allegations on Monday, NSA Ribadu dismissed the claims as unfounded and misleading.
Through a statement issued by his spokesperson, Zakari Mijinyawa, the NSA reiterated that the government has never engaged in ransom payments or any form of inducement to criminals. The statement also highlighted the administration’s consistent warnings against ransom payments by citizens.
Nevertheless, El-Rufai stood firm on Tuesday, insisting that his accusations remain valid. He accused both the ONSA and Kaduna State Government of politicizing national security issues and attempting to conceal evidence of financial transactions with bandits.
“Rather than addressing the substantive points I raised, the combined responses from Kaduna State and ONSA aim to shift blame by accusing me of politicizing security matters,” the former governor wrote.
“We are not the first to expose the government’s ongoing practice of financially incentivizing non-state actors across Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, Niger, Kebbi, and other regions.”
El-Rufai further pointed to videos and eyewitness accounts from traditional leaders, religious figures, and community representatives as proof that payments to bandits continue unabated, rendering official denials ineffective.
He also criticized the ONSA for prioritizing ceremonial protocol, propaganda efforts, and international trips over effective intelligence sharing, warning that such policies exacerbate insecurity and deplete public funds.
Questioning the concept of negotiations with bandits, El-Rufai asked why a so-called non-kinetic approach should involve withdrawing vast sums from state coffers only to hand them over to terrorists and criminals.
“National security is a matter of utmost importance, essential for the country’s peace, prosperity, and the safety of its citizens,” he emphasized.
“It is unpatriotic to mask incompetence in managing security as mere media theatrics,” he concluded.
The post You withdraw huge amounts from state treasuries, hand them to bandits’ – El-Rufai fires back at NSA Ribadu first appeared on Latest Nigeria News | Top Stories from Ripples Nigeria.
0 Comments