El-Rufai Accuses FG of ‘Spoonfeeding’ Bandits, Alleges Kaduna Gov Paid ₦1bn Ransom
Former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has accused the Federal Government of “spoonfeeding” bandits under the guise of persuading them to abandon criminal activities, instead of confronting them militarily.
Speaking on Sunday Politics with Seun Okinbaloye on Channels Television, El-Rufai alleged that funds were being channelled to bandits as part of a non-kinetic security policy coordinated by the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
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He further claimed that Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sanni, had paid ₦1 billion to the criminals, yet killings and abductions in the state had persisted. He challenged the governor to publicly deny the allegation, insisting he would not be intimidated by critics.
The former FCT Minister also accused Southern Kaduna leaders of demanding what he described as a “disproportionate share” of political appointments despite constituting less than 30 per cent of the state’s population.
On his relationship with the Presidency, El-Rufai admitted falling out with President Bola Tinubu after raising concerns over the administration’s inability to fulfil campaign promises, despite playing a key role in the 2023 elections.
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“I am not a thief, neither are those who worked with me. We never bribed anyone,” he said, while commending his former team but lamenting that some had turned against him.
El-Rufai ruled out contesting as a vice-presidential candidate in 2027, predicting that Tinubu would struggle to secure a second term due to what he described as “woeful performance.”
He also disclosed that he once presented a detailed plan for achieving a nationwide stable electricity supply by 2030, but expressed doubts about its implementation.