The Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, has accused former Governor Nasir El-Rufai of plotting to destabilise the state and undermine its fragile peace.
This is as National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu tackle the former governor over his claim that NSA office was coordinating the payment of monies to bandits.
Kaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Dr. Suleiman Shuaibu in a statement, yesterday, alleged that El-Rufai was “through a calculated mix of overt provocation and covert manipulation, plotting to unleash mayhem across Kaduna State in a desperate bid to destabilise the state and drag it back into its dark and violent past.”
According to Shuaibu, “This government will not fold its arms and allow a discredited former leader, who left the state in ruins, to ignite chaos and plunge the state into another era of ethno religious tension, insecurity and economic stagnation.”
The commissioner accused El-Rufai of refusing to accept Kaduna’s progress under Governor Sani.
“Mallam Nasir El-Rufai has made it glaringly obvious that he cannot stomach the progress Kaduna is making under the administration of Governor Uba Sani.
“This administration has been widely recognised for its inclusive, people-centred and security-focused approach to governance,” he said.
He said the government was particularly alarmed by El-Rufai’s remarks during an appearance on national television on Sunday, August 31, where he alleged that the federal and state governments were bribing bandits to secure peace.
“These are not mere words, they are calculated and malicious lies designed to undermine security efforts, incite public anger and legitimise criminality.
“Indeed, El-Rufai’s reckless allegation is not just false, it is an insult to the sacrifices of our armed forces, the intelligence community and the thousands of local stakeholders who have worked tirelessly to restore peace in Kaduna.”
He added that the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) had already dismissed the allegation.
“In a strongly worded rebuttal, the ONSA stated unequivocally that neither it nor any agency under this administration has ever paid or induced bandits.
“On the contrary, both the Federal and Kaduna State Governments have repeatedly urged Nigerians never to pay ransom,” he said.
Dr. Shuaibu credited Governor Sani’s administration with restoring stability and driving development in the state.
“Through dialogue with traditional rulers, local leaders and rural communities, the Government has fostered trust and ownership in security strategies.
“The Kaduna Peace Model has yielded measurable results, with economic activity returning to previously bandit-infested zones like Birnin Gwari.
Children are back in school, farmers are back on their land, and the people are beginning to hope again,” he added.
Similarly, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu, has also dismissed the allegations by Nasir el-Rufai, that the agency coordinates ransom payments and incentives to bandits, describing it as baseless.
In a statement by the ONSA’s head of strategic communications, Zakari Mijinyawa, Ribadu described the claim as baseless and false, noting that neither the agency nor any government arm has engaged in ransom payments or inducements to criminals.
“On the contrary, we have consistently warned Nigerians against paying ransom,” the statement said, adding that El-Rufai’s allegations 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 in Kaduna state but are now experiencing relative peace.”
Mijinyawa said the government’s approach to tackling banditry combines decisive military operations with community engagement to address local grievances.
He highlighted the successes of security agencies in capturing or eliminating notorious bandits, including kingpins like Boderi, Baleri, Sani Yellow Janburos, Buhari, and Boka.
“Only recently, leaders of Ansaru who previously established bases in Kaduna were apprehended,” the statement added.
Mijinyawa condemned el-Rufai’s “denial of the sacrifices made by security personnel” as “unfair and insulting to their memory.”
The statement urged the former governor to refrain from politicising national security institutions, emphasising that the fight against banditry is a collective one and not a platform for political point-scoring.
Credit: The Sun