THE Kaduna State Government has issued a one-week ultimatum to former governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai to provide evidence backing his allegation that the administration of Governor Uba Sani paid ₦1 billion to bandits as part of a security arrangement.
In a statement sent to News Point Nigeria on Sunday by the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Sule Shu’aibu (SAN), described El-Rufai’s comments as “false, reckless, baseless, politically motivated and deliberately misleading.”
El-Rufai had made the allegation during a televised interview on Channels Television, suggesting that a huge ransom was paid to criminal groups under the current administration.
The claim immediately stirred widespread debate, given Kaduna’s long-standing battle with banditry.
But the state government dismissed the allegation as nothing more than political theatrics and issued a public challenge to the former governor.
“The former governor has one week to provide verifiable proof or tender a public apology. Failure to do so will compel the government to initiate legal action,” Shu’aibu stated.
He emphasised that Governor Uba Sani had never authorised, negotiated, or made any form of payment to criminal elements since assuming office.
“Not one naira. Not one kobo,” the commissioner declared.
The statement noted that the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) had earlier dismissed similar allegations made by El-Rufai in September 2025 as untrue, inconsistent with national security protocols, and unsupported by evidence.
According to ONSA, neither the Federal Government nor any state government is permitted to fund criminal groups under any circumstance.
The Kaduna State Government accused its former governor of “weaponising a sensitive national security issue for political grandstanding,” saying his conduct falls far below the ethical standard expected from someone who once occupied the highest office in the state.
The statement further noted that communities hardest hit by insecurity during El-Rufai’s administration have rejected his claim. The Birnin-Gwari Vanguard for Security and Good Governance, a group from an area that recorded repeated kidnappings, school closures and mass displacements under El-Rufai described the allegations as “misleading and contradictory.
The government also referenced past accusations made by senior members of El-Rufai’s own administration, alleging that he used state resources to appease certain groups during his tenure. The statement said this made his current comments “deeply paradoxical and troubling.”
Reaffirming its security strategy, the state government said its current approach is community-centred prioritising local engagements, improved access to education, strengthened military operations, and expanded healthcare and economic opportunities in rural areas.
“The state engages communities, not bandits,” Shu’aibu added.