Kaduna Government Denies Former Governor El-Rufai’s “Baseless” Claim of ₦1 Billion Payment to Bandits

From:Femi Oyelola in Kaduna

The Kaduna State Government has strongly denied allegations made by former Governor Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai, who claimed on Channels Television that Governor Senator Uba Sani authorized a ₦1 billion payment to bandits.

In a statement released by the Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs, the government called the assertion “a fabrication devoid of context, substance, or credibility,” emphasizing that it aims to mislead the public and undermine the state’s peace-building efforts.

The statement, signed by Hon. (Dr.) Sule Shu’aibu, SAN, Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, criticized El-Rufai’s politically charged accusations as detrimental to the people of Kaduna.

The government noted that a former governor, who once held the highest office in the state, should demonstrate sobriety and restraint instead of using security as a tool for political posturing.

Governor Uba Sani has consistently affirmed that his administration has neither made nor will ever make payments to criminal elements. He has publicly stated that he does not know any bandits, has never met or spoken with them, and has never authorized any ransom or covert funding, not a single naira nor a kobo.

The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) has also dismissed similar allegations by El-Rufai as “unfounded, inaccurate, and disconnected from the realities of national security operations,” reinforcing that neither the Federal Government nor any state government pays ransom to criminal organizations.

Kaduna’s current security strategy, which focuses on community-centered peace initiatives, has received praise from citizens, security agencies, international partners, and civil society

. This approach combines intensive military and intelligence operations with deep engagement with lawful community leaders and expanded access to education, healthcare, and livelihood programs to address the root causes of insecurity.

Grassroots security groups, including the Birnin-Gwari Vanguard for Security and Good Governance—representing communities that suffered some of the worst episodes of banditry during El-Rufai’s tenure—have publicly refuted his claims, labeling them as distortions and half-truths. Their lived experiences lend greater authenticity to their testimony than politically motivated narratives.

The government also pointed out that senior members of El-Rufai’s former administration have previously accused him of misusing public funds to appease specific individuals, including bandits and herders, rendering his current moral outrage contradictory.

Since taking office, Governor Uba Sani has prioritized stabilizing vulnerable communities. Security agencies now operate with increased coordination; schools, markets, and farmlands have reopened; and long-fractured communities are beginning to rebuild trust.

The statement urges El-Rufai to provide any credible evidence—bank documents, internal memos, security briefings, or legally admissible testimony—to support his claim.

The government has given El-Rufai one week to retract his statements and issue an unreserved apology, warning that failure to do so will result in appropriate legal measures to safeguard public order and institutional integrity.

Kaduna State reaffirmed its commitment to transparent governance, accountable security management, and the protection of all citizens, emphasizing that it will not be swayed by “the politics of bitterness, fear-mongering, or orchestrated falsehoods.”

The era of sensational claims without evidence has come to an end, and a new age of responsible, principled, and effective security governance is now in place, the statement concluded.