Uba Sani, the Governor of Kaduna State, has refuted claims by the immediate past Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, that he authorised funds for bandits, describing such allegations as “Political mischief”.
Speaking on Sunday on TVC’s Politics, Sani responded to El-Rufai, who alleged that the Federal Government and Kaduna State Government were funding armed groups using a “Non-kinetic” security approach as cover.
New Telegraph recalls that El-Rufai had, on August 31, during an interview on Channels Television, claimed that the government was in pursuit of a “Kiss-the-bandits” policy, which involves a monthly supply of food and allowances for bandits.
He said, “What I will not do is to pay bandits, give them a monthly allowance, or send food to them in the name of non-kinetic. It’s nonsense; we’re empowering bandits.
“It’s a national policy driven by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), and Kaduna is part of it. The only repentant bandit is a dead one. Let’s kill them all”
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In response, Sani refuted the claims, asserting that the Federal Government is no way financially aiding criminals.
Sani stressed that the Kaduna model is built on empowerment, solutions, and trust-building; therefore, he is an advocate of anti-banditry across the North-West.
“We have not paid one person a dime, not one naira to anybody. Our Kaduna model is a community-based initiative, driven by religious and traditional leaders. It has nothing to do with paying bandits.”
“When we started this Kaduna model, many thought we would not succeed. But today, it is a success story. Security chiefs across Nigeria have openly commended it and called for its adoption in other states,” he said.
Furthermore, the Kaduna Governor accused some political actors of utilising insecurity for partisan gain, after highlighting significant changes in troubled areas like Birnin Gwari.
“Some politicians are only trying to misguide and misinform the public for political points. But in Kaduna, nobody has paid a naira. We were elected to solve problems, not to blame others,” he said.
Similarly, the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) has denied El-Rufai’s allegations, describing them as “false, baseless, and insulting.”
ONSA asserted that no government under Tinubu’s administration has approved ransom payments or incentives for terrorist groups, explaining that the national security framework merges military operations with community engagement.
