The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) has dismissed as untrue claims by former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, that the Federal Government has been paying ransom and offering incentives to criminal gangs in the North-West and other parts of the country.
El-Rufai had, during a television interview on Sunday, alleged that ONSA coordinated a policy of ransom payments to bandits, a statement that quickly stirred public concern and debate.
But in a swift response, ONSA’s Head of Strategic Communication, Mr. Zakari Mijinyawa, issued a statement in Abuja on Monday, describing the allegations as false, misleading, and contrary to established facts.
“At no time has ONSA, or any organ of government under this administration, engaged in ransom payments or inducements to criminals,” Mijinyawa clarified. “Instead, the Federal Government has consistently warned Nigerians against paying ransom, stressing that such actions embolden criminal elements.”
He explained that the administration has pursued a two-track strategy to curb insecurity: kinetic military operations against terrorists and bandits, combined with community engagement to win local support. According to him, this approach has led to measurable improvements in several troubled areas.
Mijinyawa cited Igabi, Birnin Gwari, and Giwa local government areas of Kaduna State, which once experienced sustained bandit attacks but are now witnessing relative peace due to intensified military campaigns.
He further revealed that security forces have neutralized or captured several notorious bandit leaders, including Boderi, Baleri, Sani Yellow Janburos, Buhari, and Boka. In addition, he said, Ansaru commanders who attempted to set up bases in Kaduna were apprehended before they could entrench themselves.
“These victories were not without sacrifices, as some of our gallant officers paid the supreme price in the line of duty,” he noted.
Mijinyawa cautioned political leaders against politicizing matters of national security, warning that such rhetoric undermines the sacrifices of security personnel on the frontlines.
“The fight against banditry is a collective struggle,” he stressed, “not a platform for political point-scoring.”
