Kaduna Gives El‑Rufai One‑Week Ultimatum to Prove ₦1bn Bandits Claim

• The Kaduna State Government has labelled former Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s allegation that Governor Uba Sani paid ₦1bn to bandits as “reckless, baseless and deliberately misleading,” giving him a week to retract or face legal consequences.

The Kaduna State Government on Sunday strongly rejected claims by former Governor Nasir El-Rufai that Governor Uba Sani’s administration paid ₦1bn to bandits, describing the allegation as politically motivated.

In a statement, the government gave El-Rufai a one-week ultimatum to provide evidence or publicly retract the accusation, warning that failure to do so would prompt legal action to “safeguard public order and institutional integrity.”

The Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Sule Shu’aibu (SAN), called the former governor’s claim “reckless, baseless and deliberately misleading,” and criticised him for “recklessly weaponising a sensitive security issue for political grandstanding,” noting that such conduct falls below the standard expected of a former leader.

The statement emphasised that Governor Sani has “never authorised, negotiated, or paid any money to criminal groups,” stressing repeatedly in interviews and briefings: “Not one naira. Not one kobo.” It also referenced prior dismissals of similar claims by the Office of the National Security Adviser, affirming that neither federal nor state governments engage in ransom payments to criminal elements.

Highlighting its security strategy, the Kaduna State Government said it is implementing a community-focused approach anchored on strengthened military operations, collaboration with legitimate community leaders, and improved access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities. “The state engages communities, not bandits,” the statement read.

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Grassroots groups, including the Birnin-Gwari Vanguard for Security and Good Governance, have also publicly refuted El-Rufai’s claims, describing them as misleading. The government further pointed out past allegations made by senior members of El-Rufai’s administration, asserting that the former governor’s current claims are “deeply paradoxical.”

Since assuming office, Governor Sani has prioritised stabilising vulnerable communities, reopening schools, markets, and farmlands, and rebuilding trust among previously fractured groups. The government urged restraint from former officials and reaffirmed its commitment to transparent and responsible security governance, vowing not to be distracted by “the politics of bitterness, fear-mongering or orchestrated falsehoods.”