By Safiyat Muhammed – The Bureau News | Abuja
Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has launched a scathing attack on the Federal Government, accusing it of deliberately empowering armed bandits under the guise of non-kinetic security strategies.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, El-Rufai claimed that the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) is facilitating a policy that pays monthly allowances and distributes food to bandits, which he described as a “dangerous betrayal” of Nigerians.
“What I will not do is to pay bandits, give them a monthly allowance, or send food to them in the name of non-kinetic. It’s nonsense; we’re empowering bandits,” El-Rufai declared.
The former governor, who has long been outspoken on security issues in Northern Nigeria, alleged that the administration’s current approach amounts to nothing more than a “kiss-the-bandits policy.”
“The Nigerian government has a policy of paying bandits facilitated by the Office of the National Security Adviser. They give cash to bandits and send food to them too. We have the evidence,” he added.
A Stinging Indictment
El-Rufai’s comments come at a time when insecurity continues to devastate communities across the North. His revelations, if true, point to a disturbing official complicity in sustaining armed groups, rather than dismantling them.
Security experts say such policies could embolden criminal groups, giving them financial leverage to recruit more fighters, purchase weapons, and further destabilize rural communities.
A Widening Rift with Tinubu’s Government
The outburst underscores El-Rufai’s growing criticism of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, which he recently predicted would finish third in the 2027 elections.
While the Federal Government has not yet responded to his fresh allegations, political analysts suggest the former governor is positioning himself as a major opposition voice ahead of the next general election.
