The Kaduna State Government has condemned the recent comments of the former governor Nasir El-Rufai’s on a television programme, where he accused the federal and state governments of “bribing bandits” to achieve peace.
In a statement on Monday, the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Dr Suleiman Shuaibu, said El-Rufai’s comment are not mere words, but are ‘calculated, malicious lies designed to undermine security efforts, incite public anger, and legitimise criminality.’
The statement also said that the recent actions of the former governor amounted to a direct threat to peace and development, and accused him of plotting to destabilise the state through “provocation, manipulation and incitement,” warning that it would not tolerate attempts to drag the state back into violence.
According to the Commissioner, the former governor intensified his activities after his political allies were defeated in the August 16 by-elections.
“This Government will not fold its arms and allow a discredited former leader, who left the state in ruins, to ignite chaos and plunge the state into another era of ethno-religious tension, insecurity, and economic stagnation,” the Commissioner said.
“His rejected candidates and the incoherent coalition he assembled were resoundingly defeated in free, fair, and transparent elections that affirmed the people’s trust in the APC’s leadership and Senator Uba Sani’s progressive governance,” Shuaibu said.
“Rather than accept this democratic outcome with dignity, El-Rufai has chosen to respond with sabotage.”
The government also accused El-Rufa’i of convening “an illegal and chaotic meeting” on August 30, with his political associates which degenerated into violence, including gunshots that endangered innocent citizens.
“True to form, El-Rufai attempted to shift blame by falsely accusing the government of sponsoring thugs to disrupt the meeting,” the statement read.
“The question must be asked: why would a Governor who has just won the hearts of the people through credible elections need to disrupt a gathering of losers? This narrative is not only insulting to the intelligence of Kaduna residents, but also exposes El-Rufai’s determination to return Kaduna to the orgy of violence and fear that defined his tenure.”
The Commissioner also noted that the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) had already dismissed the allegations made by El-Rufai, insisting that neither the Federal Government nor any agency under it had ever paid bandits.
“On the contrary, both the federal and Kaduna state governments have repeatedly urged Nigerians never to pay ransom and have committed to pursuing justice through coordinated military and community engagement strategies,” Shuaibu added.