Ben Kure, a former political adviser to the ex-governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has accused him of diverting taxpayers’ money to pay bandits during his time in office.

Kure, now Managing Director of the Kaduna State Media Corporation under Governor Uba Sani, made the allegation during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme, describing the former governor’s handling of insecurity as questionable.

“Sometimes in December 2016, Governor Nasir El-Rufai, with an air of arrogance, said to the sitting that he had to pay herdsmen so that they would no longer commit mayhem or kill lives.

What was the result? It aggravated insecurity by more than a hundred per cent.

“Mallam Nasir El-Rufai prided himself on using taxpayers’ money to pay bandits and herdsmen. And what was the result? Untold loss of lives.

People were living in fear, they could not even sleep, go to their farms, or earn legitimate money to care for their families and children,” Kure said on Monday.

The former El-Rufai aide contrasted the current approach of President Bola Tinubu’s administration and Governor Uba Sani’s government, which he said had refused to give money to bandits.

According to him, the present strategy focuses on dialogue with traditional rulers, religious leaders and local stakeholders to de-escalate violence.

He said the current government started “appealing to the emotions and making them [Bandits] understand the reality and the value of life. It’s about dialogue.

“The government has been talking to them, traditional leaders, religious fathers and also stakeholders, because they know some of the people that are participating in this heinous crime, so they brought them and reversed their thinking so they saw the need to live in peace so there can be progress and development.”

El-Rufai’s Accusation

El-Rufai, appearing on Sunday Politics, accused both the federal and Kaduna State governments of “empowering bandits” through ransom payments and food supplies under what he mocked as a “kiss-the-bandits” policy.

“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 said, adding that the policy was driven nationally by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA). He insisted, “The only repentant bandit is a dead one. Let’s kill them all.”

ONSA debunks Elrufai's claim

But the Federal Government swiftly dismissed his claims. In a statement, ONSA described El-Rufai’s allegation as “baseless,” insisting that no arm of the administration had ever paid or incentivised bandits.

“At no time has the ONSA, or any arm of government under this administration, engaged in ransom payments or inducements to criminals. On the contrary, we have consistently warned Nigerians against paying ransom,” the statement signed by Zakari Mijinyawa read.

Kaduna Government dismisses former Governor

The Kaduna State Government also rebuked the former governor, describing his remarks as “calculated, malicious lies designed to undermine security efforts, incite public anger, and legitimise criminality.”

Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Suleiman Shuaibu, said El- Rufai’s comments were a direct threat to peace in the state, especially following the defeat of his political allies in the August 16 by-elections.

He stressed that security gains under Governor Uba Sani had been visible in troubled areas such as Birnin Gwari, Giwa, Kajuru and Kauru, with notorious bandit leaders eliminated and several members of Ansaru arrested.