The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) has rejected claims by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, that the federal security apparatus facilitates payments and inducements to bandits.
In a statement signed on Monday by Zakari Mijinyawa, ONSA described the allegations as unfounded and contrary to verifiable facts, stressing that the office has never been involved in ransom payments or any form of inducement to criminals. It noted that the administration has consistently warned Nigerians against paying ransoms to
kidnappers.
El-Rufai, while speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Sunday, accused the Federal Government of pursuing a “kiss-the-bandits” strategy, alleging a national policy of negotiating with and compensating armed groups instead of confronting them militarily. He argued that such a “non-kinetic” approach only strengthens the criminals.
Responding, ONSA dismissed the remarks as unfair to the memory of security personnel who have lost their lives combating banditry.
“At no point has the ONSA, or any agency of government under this administration, engaged in ransom payments or inducements to criminals,” the statement said. “On the contrary, we have consistently warned Nigerians against paying ransom. El-Rufai’s allegations are false and contradict verifiable realities on the ground.”
The office explained that the government adopted a two-pronged strategy—decisive military operations alongside community engagement to address local grievances. It cited improvements in previously volatile areas such as Igabi, Birnin Gwari, and Giwa in Kaduna State, now enjoying relative peace.
Paying tribute to fallen security operatives, ONSA described El-Rufai’s comments as “deeply insulting” and urged him, along with other political actors, to refrain from dragging national security institutions into partisan disputes.
“The fight against banditry should not be trivialised for political point-scoring,” the statement added.
