The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) has dismissed allegations made by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, that the Federal Government engages in payments and inducements to bandits.
In a statement issued on Monday by Zakari Mijinyawa, ONSA described El-Rufai’s claims as “false, baseless, and contradictory to verifiable facts.”
The former governor, while speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Sunday, had accused the government of adopting a “kiss-the-bandits” policy — negotiating with and compensating armed groups rather than confronting them militarily. He argued that such a “non-kinetic” approach only strengthened the criminals.
Reacting, ONSA said:
“At no time has the ONSA, or any arm of government under this administration, engaged in ransom payments or inducements to criminals. On the contrary, we have consistently warned Nigerians against paying ransom. El-Rufai’s allegations not only lack truth but also insult the sacrifices of our fallen heroes.”
The office stressed that the administration has pursued a dual strategy — combining military operations with community engagements to tackle root causes of insecurity. It cited improved stability in areas such as Igabi, Birnin Gwari, and Giwa in Kaduna State as evidence of progress.
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ONSA also condemned El-Rufai’s remarks as “unfair to the memory of security personnel who have died in the fight against banditry” and urged political leaders to avoid dragging national security institutions into partisan disputes.
