The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) has dismissed as false and misleading claims by former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, that the Federal Government is coordinating a policy of paying bandits or offering them incentives.
El-Rufai, during a television interview on Sunday, alleged that the ONSA was involved in ransom payments to criminals. But in a swift response, ONSA described the remarks as baseless, stressing that neither the Office of the National Security Adviser nor any agency of government under the present administration has ever engaged in ransom payments or inducements to bandits.
“On the contrary, we have consistently warned Nigerians against paying ransom,” the ONSA stated, adding that El-Rufai’s allegations contradict facts on the ground.
According to the Office, the Tinubu administration adopted a two-pronged strategy to combat insecurity: decisive kinetic operations combined with community engagement to address local grievances. The result of this approach, ONSA noted, is evident in parts of Kaduna State such as Igabi, Birnin Gwari, and Giwa, which once endured incessant attacks but now enjoy relative peace.
The Office further highlighted the successes of security agencies in neutralising or capturing notorious bandits across the state. It recalled that dreaded kingpins including Boderi, Baleri, Sani Yellow Janburos, Buhari, and Boka were eliminated, while leaders of the terrorist group Ansaru, who had previously established bases in Kaduna, were recently apprehended.
“These successes came at a cost, as some of our gallant officers paid the supreme price,” ONSA stated. “For a former governor like El-Rufai to deny these sacrifices on national television is not only unfair but also deeply insulting to the memories of our security personnel.”
The ONSA urged El-Rufai and other political actors to refrain from dragging national security institutions into partisan battles, stressing that the fight against banditry is a collective struggle that should not be reduced to political point-scoring.