- Concerned Kaduna Citizens accuse El-Rufai of making false, politically-motivated claims
- Group insists no ₦1bn ransom was ever paid by Kaduna Government to bandits
- NSA’s office, Shehu Sani also dismiss claims as baseless and misleading
- Citizens warn El-Rufai to stop statements that weaken security and peace efforts
A civic group under the banner of Concerned Kaduna Citizens (CKC) has strongly criticised former governor Nasir El-Rufai over his allegation that the Kaduna State Government paid ₦1 billion to bandits, describing the claim as false, reckless, and capable of undermining ongoing peace efforts across Kaduna.
Speaking during a press briefing in Kaduna on Monday, CKC leader Abdulrashid Teslim said El-Rufai’s allegations, made during a Channels Television appearance were “completely baseless” and deliberately targeted at discrediting Governor Uba Sani.
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Teslim stated clearly that “no such payment was ever made by the Kaduna State Government to any criminal group.”
According to the group, the current administration has maintained a strict stance of no negotiations and no ransom payments, relying instead on intelligence operations, security agencies, and community-based peacebuilding.
CKC accused the former governor of choosing to “attack and undermine” these efforts instead of offering support as someone who once led the state.
They went further, arguing that Kaduna experienced its worst years of killings and insecurity under El-Rufai, contrasting his time in office with the “stability-focused” administrations of former governors Ahmed Makarfi, Namadi Sambo and Mukhtar Ramalan Yero.
The group also referenced the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), which recently stated it had no record or knowledge of any ransom payment by the Kaduna Government, contradicting El-Rufai’s assertion.
Calling for caution, CKC urged him to “refrain from making unsubstantiated statements that erode public trust in the state’s security system.”
They added: “Kaduna needs unity, not division. We stand firmly behind Governor Uba Sani’s commitment to peace, transparency and justice.”
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In a separate reaction, former senator and human rights activist Shehu Sani also dismissed El-Rufai’s allegation as empty propaganda.
Sani said: “The claim made by the former Kaduna State governor that the present Kaduna State Government paid ₦1 billion to bandits is absolute rubbish from a man who founded the culture of appeasement to terrorists during his tenure.”
He accused El-Rufai of normalising dealings with bandits during his eight-year tenure, adding:
“It’s on record that bandits were ex officio components of his administration. He openly told the world about his strategy of conditional cash transfers to bandits. He even jailed Luka Biniyat of Vanguard, who exposed the deal.”
