ABUJA, Nigeria — The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) has rejected allegations by former Kaduna State governor Nasir el-Rufai that the federal government is coordinating ransom payments and incentives to armed bandits.
El-Rufai, in a television interview on Sunday, August 31, 2025, criticised what he described as a misguided “non-kinetic” strategy against insecurity, claiming that officials were “empowering bandits” by providing them with money and supplies.
“What I will not do is to pay bandits, give them a monthly allowance or send food to them. Non-kinetic is nonsense. We are empowering bandits. That’s what is going on,” el-Rufai said.
“It’s a national policy… many states are objecting to it. But that is the policy now. My position has always been that the only repentant bandit is a dead one. Let’s wipe them out, bomb them, reduce them to nothing. And then the five percent that still want to be rehabilitated can be rehabilitated.”
In a swift rebuttal, ONSA described the claim as “baseless and false.”
Zakari Mijinyawa, the agency’s head of strategic communications, said in a statement on Monday, September 1, 2025, that neither the security adviser’s office nor any arm of government had engaged in ransom payments or inducements to criminals.
“On the contrary, we have consistently warned Nigerians against paying ransom,” the statement read.
“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.”
Mijinyawa said recent gains in the fight against insecurity demonstrated the effectiveness of the government’s approach.
He cited the capture or elimination of notorious bandit leaders including Boderi, Baleri, Sani Yellow Janburos, Buhari, and Boka, as well as the recent arrest of Ansaru commanders who had previously operated from bases in Kaduna.
He accused el-Rufai of dismissing the sacrifices of security personnel.
“His denial of the sacrifices made by security personnel is unfair and insulting to their memory,” the statement said.
