The National Security Adviser, NSA, Nuhu Ribadu has replied former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai.
In a statement on Monday, he accused El-Rufai of propagating falsehood with claims that the government is paying bandits.
Ribadu said El-Rufai’s claim on national television that the NSA coordinated payment of ransom and incentives to bandits was false.
This was contained in a statement signed by Zakari Mijinyawa, Adviser in the Office of the National Security Adviser.
The NSA insisted that El-Rufai’s claim was contrary to verifiable facts.
The statement described the former governor’s claim as baseless.
The statement reads: “The attention of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) has been drawn to comments made by the former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, in a television interview on Sunday. In that interview, he alleged, falsely, that the ONSA coordinates a policy of payments and offers incentives to bandits.
“This claim is baseless. At no time has the ONSA, or any arm of government under this administration, engaged in ransom payments or inducements to criminals.”
The statement said contrary to El-Rufai’s comment, ONSA warns against payment of ransom.
He added: “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.
“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 but are now experiencing relative peace.
“The efforts of our gallant military and security agencies in capturing or eliminating notorious bandits have been widely reported in the media. In Kaduna alone, known kingpins who once terrorised residents such as Boderi, Baleri, Sani Yellow Janburos, Buhari, and Boka, among others, were eliminated. Only recently, leaders of Ansaru who previously established bases in Kaduna were apprehended.
“These successes came at a cost; some of our brave officers paid the supreme price. For a former governor of a state, in the person of El-Rufai, to deny these sacrifices on national television is both unfair and deeply insulting to the memories of our security personnel.
“We urge El-Rufai and all political actors to desist from dragging national security institutions into partisan battles.
“The fight against banditry is a collective struggle, not a platform for political point-scoring.”
