We Have Never Paid Ransom To Bandits – Presidency Replies El-Rufai

We Have Never Paid Ransom To Bandits – Presidency Blasts El-Rufai.
Agency says allegations are false and dishonour sacrifices of security forces.
ONSA urges politicians not to politicize national security issues.

The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) has strongly denied allegations by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, that the Federal Government is sponsoring and facilitating payments to armed bandits.

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that El-Rufai had accused the government of adopting a policy of negotiating with and compensating criminal groups instead of confronting them militarily.

In a statement issued by ONSA spokesperson, Zakari Mijinyawa, the agency described the claims as baseless and inconsistent with the facts on the ground. The statement stressed that at no time has the Federal Government under the current administration engaged in ransom payments or inducements to criminals.

“On the contrary, we have consistently warned Nigerians against paying ransom. El-Rufai’s allegations are not only false but also unfair to the memory of security personnel who have lost their lives in the fight against banditry,” the statement read.

The NSA’s office explained that the government has pursued a dual strategy: deploying decisive military operations while engaging communities to address local grievances fueling insecurity. It noted that the approach has brought relative calm to areas such as Igabi, Birnin Gwari, and Giwa in Kaduna State, which were once notorious hotspots of violence.

The statement further paid tribute to fallen security operatives, saying it was “deeply insulting” for a former state governor to disregard their sacrifices on national television.

ONSA urged El-Rufai and other political leaders to avoid dragging national security institutions into partisan disputes, stressing that the collective fight against banditry should not be trivialized for political gains.

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