Kaduna gives El-Rufai one week to prove his N1bn bandit payment claim or face legal action.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced that the Kaduna State Government on Sunday issued a one-week ultimatum to former governor Nasir El-Rufai to substantiate his allegation that Governor Uba Sani’s administration paid N1bn to bandits.
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The government dismissed the claim as false, politically motivated and capable of undermining public confidence in ongoing security efforts.
El-Rufai had alleged during an interview on Channels Television that the current administration made payments to criminal groups as part of security arrangements. But in a strongly worded response, the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Sule Shu’aibu (SAN), described the remarks as reckless, baseless and deliberately misleading.
He said the former governor must either provide verifiable proof or publicly apologise, failing which the state would initiate legal proceedings.
Shu’aibu accused El-Rufai of weaponising a sensitive national security issue for political grandstanding, stating that such conduct fell below the standard expected of a former office holder.
He reiterated that Governor Sani had never authorised, negotiated or paid any amount to criminal elements, emphasising that “not one naira, not one kobo” had been given to bandits at any point.
The commissioner noted that the Office of the National Security Adviser had previously dismissed similar claims as unfounded and inconsistent with Nigeria’s security protocols, affirming that neither federal nor state authorities engage in ransom payments.
Kaduna’s approach, he said, centres on community engagement, strengthened military operations and improved access to education, healthcare and economic opportunities aimed at reducing the drivers of insecurity.
Local civil society groups, including the Birnin-Gwari Vanguard for Security and Good Governance, which experienced severe security challenges during El-Rufai’s tenure, have also rejected the former governor’s assertions as misleading.
The state government further referenced past allegations by senior officials in El-Rufai’s administration, claiming he had used public funds to placate certain groups, describing his new claims as paradoxical.
According to the statement, Governor Sani has focused on stabilising vulnerable communities, reopening schools, markets and farmlands, and rebuilding trust among previously divided groups.
The government urged former officials to show restraint and support ongoing peacebuilding initiatives rather than inflame tensions.
The Kaduna administration challenged El-Rufai to present credible evidence—such as bank records, internal correspondence or security documents—to substantiate his claim, noting that similar allegations he made in September 2025 also lacked proof.
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It added that it remained committed to transparency, responsible governance and resisting what it termed the politics of bitterness, fear-mongering and orchestrated falsehoods.
