El-Rufai: Tinubu's FG Reacts to Allegations of Paying, Feeding Bandits, “Insulting”
- The former governor of Kaduna state, Nasir El-Rufai, had, in a trending interview, alleged that Tinubu's government is empowering terrorists
- El-Rufai noted that the federal government adopted a “kiss-the-bandits” approach, alleging a national policy of negotiating with and compensating armed groups rather than confronting them militarily
- In a swift response, the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), led by Nuhu Ribadu, in a statement, set the record straight
Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.
Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser, has dismissed claims by former Kaduna state Governor Nasir El-Rufai that the government pays incentives to bandits.
Source: Facebook
El-Rufai says Tinubu's FG paying bandits, Ribadu reacts
El-Rufai had accused the federal government led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of providing a soft landing for bandits terrorising different parts of the country.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, El-Rufai alleged that the government was empowering bandits by paying them a “monthly allowance,” sending “food to them in the name of non-kinetic, describing it as a kiss-the-bandits policy.
“It’s not the government of Kaduna State; it’s a national policy driven by the Office of the National Security Adviser, and Kaduna is part of it. Kiss the bandits; that’s the new policy,” El-Rufai said.
Source: Facebook
Ribadu insists El-Rufai's claim far from facts
Reacting, the Office of the National Security Adviser, denied the allegations as baseless.
In a statement signed by Zakari Mijinyawa for ONSA on Monday, September 1, NSA Nuhu Ribadu said FG has never engaged in ransom payments or inducements to criminals and pointed out that the administration has repeatedly warned Nigerians against paying ransoms.
However, the agency described the comments as unfair to the memory of security personnel who have died in the fight against banditry.
“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 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 in Kaduna state but are now experiencing relative peace.”
Terrorists using gold to fund operations - CDS Musa
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, exposed the operations of terrorists in Nigeria.
In a trending interview on Thursday, August 21, CDS Musa explained how terrorists are increasingly using gold to finance their operations.
Read more about El-Rufai here:
- “I don’t care what my enemies think,” El-Rufai fires fresh shot at critics
- Nigerian Army mentions when terrorism financiers in Nigeria will be exposed, details emerge
Over 1,000 terrorists groups operating in Africa, Gambari alleges
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that at the maiden edition of the 2025 African Chiefs of Defence Staff summit in Abuja, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, ex-Chief of Staff to the late president Muhammadu Buhari, dropped a bombshell.
Gambari revealed that over 1,000 "deadly" terrorist groups are now operating within the African continent.
Source: Legit.ng
