By Abiola Olawale
The Kaduna State government has denied a claim made by former Governor Nasir El-Rufai that the current administration paid ₦1 billion to bandits.
In a statement released, the Kaduna State Government, under Governor Uba Sani, described the allegation as “astonishing,” “fabricated,” and “absolute rubbish from a man who founded the culture of appeasement to terrorists.”
El-Rufai had, during a Television interview, alleged that the Uba Sani administration paid ransom to criminal groups operating in the state.
However, in a press statement issued by the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Hon. (Dr.) Sule Shu’aibu, SAN, the government said the former governor’s assertions were “a fabrication devoid of context, substance, or credibility.”
According to the statement, El-Rufai’s comments were intended to “mislead the public, inflame passions, and undermine the progress the current administration has made in restoring peace across Kaduna State.”
The government faulted the former governor for what it described as “recklessly weaponising an issue as sensitive as security,” insisting that leadership at his level demands restraint and truthfulness.
It stressed that Governor Uba Sani has “never paid, authorised the payment, or approved negotiations” with bandits, reiterating that the governor “does not know any bandits, has never met them, and has never disbursed a single naira or kobo” to criminal groups.
The statement noted that the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) had previously dismissed similar claims by El-Rufai as “unfounded and disconnected from national security realities,” adding that the Federal Government does not pay ransom to criminal organisations as a matter of policy.
“Kaduna State remains unwavering in its commitment to transparent governance, accountable security management, and the protection of every citizen. We will not be derailed by politics of bitterness or orchestrated falsehoods,” the statement added.
