The Concerned Kaduna Citizens, a socio-political pressure group, has debunked allegations attributed to the immediate past Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, that the current administration pays N1 billion monthly to bandits to prevent attacks.
Speaking at a press conference in Kaduna on Monday, the group described the allegation as a "baseless lie" and a calculated political maneuver intended to distract the administration of Governor Uba Sani.
The leader of the group, Mr. Abdulrashid Teslim, criticized the former governor for the comments, which were reportedly made during a recent interview on Channels Television.
Abdulrashid Teslim dismissed the claims as being "disconnected from both facts and national security realities."
"We are gathered here today to dismantle this lie, to bury this lie, and to tell the general public that the former governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, is only playing a gimmick to achieve his goals towards 2027," Teslim said.
He added, "Everything to him is politics. He doesn't care about the lives of citizens or the peaceful coexistence we are currently enjoying in Kaduna."
Addressing the state government's security strategy, the group maintained that the Uba Sani administration acts on a clear policy of "no negotiation, no payment, and no dealing with bandits whatsoever." They emphasized that the government is instead focused on lawful engagement with communities and security agencies to address the root causes of insecurity.
Teslim further alleged that Kaduna State experienced its highest rates of killings and insecurity during El-Rufai’s tenure, citing "deep division, violence, and a breakdown of communal trust" as characteristics of that period.
"It is too soon for us to forget," Teslim stated. "Unlike former governors such as Senator Ahmed Makarfi, Architect Namadi Sambo, and Ramalan Yero, who are actively contributing to peace-building, El-Rufai has unfortunately continued to issue divisive statements and spread unverified claims."
The group also noted that their position aligns with recent clarifications from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), which categorically dismissed reports regarding ransom payments by government entities.
Warning against what they termed "political gimmicks," the group urged the former governor to refrain from making unsubstantiated statements that could undermine the integrity of the state's security architecture.
"Kaduna needs unity, not division; collaboration, not confusion. We stand firmly behind Governor Uba Sani’s commitment to peace, transparency, and justice," Teslim concluded.
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