The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) has dismissed claims by former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai that the government pays incentives to bandits.
According to a statement signed by Zakari Mijinyawa on behalf of ONSA, the allegation, made during a television interview on Sunday, is “baseless and contradicts verifiable facts on the ground.”
The statement clarified that the ONSA has never coordinated ransom payments or inducements to criminal groups. Instead, the government has consistently warned Nigerians against paying ransom while pursuing a dual strategy of military operations and community engagements to restore peace.
“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 but are now experiencing relative peace,” the ONSA said.
The office highlighted recent security gains in Kaduna, noting that notorious bandit kingpins, including Boderi, Baleri, Sani Yellow Janburos, Buhari, and Boka, were eliminated, while Ansaru leaders who once maintained bases in the state have been arrested.
The ONSA emphasised that these achievements came at a heavy price.
“Some of our brave officers paid the supreme price. For a former governor to deny these sacrifices on national television is both unfair and deeply insulting to the memories of our security personnel,” ONSA stressed.
Calling for restraint, the ONSA urged political actors to avoid dragging security institutions into partisan debates.
“The fight against banditry is a collective struggle, not a platform for political point-scoring,” ONSA stated.