Kaduna Gov’t gives El-Rufai 7 day ultimatum, threatens legal action over alleged ₦1bn bandit payment

The Kaduna State Government has issued a fierce rebuttal to claims made by former Governor Nasir El-Rufai, who alleged that the administration of Governor Uba Sani paid ₦1 billion to bandits.

In a statement issued by the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Dr. Sule Shu’aibu, the state government described the allegation as a fabrication devoid of context and issued a seven-day ultimatum for the former governor to retract his statement and apologise, or face legal action.

The controversy stems from a recent interview on Channels Television where former Governor El-Rufai claimed that his successor’s administration had authorised the payment of ₦1 billion to criminal elements destabilising the state.

Dr. Shu’aibu dismissed the claim as politically motivated theatrics intended to mislead the public and undermine the security gains recorded under the current administration.

“His Excellency, Governor Uba Sani, has consistently stated unambiguously that he does not know any bandits, has never met or spoken to them, and has never authorised the negotiation or disbursement of any ransom. Not one naira. Not one kobo,” the statement read.

The Commissioner expressed disappointment in El-Rufai, stating that a former governor should embody statesmanship rather than weaponising security issues for political grandstanding.

The state government bolstered its defense by referencing the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), noting that the apex security body had previously dismissed similar allegations by El-Rufai as unfounded and disconnected from reality.

The statement highlighted that grassroots groups, specifically the Birnin-Gwari Vanguard for Security and Good Governance—communities hit hardest by banditry during El-Rufai’s tenure have publicly refuted the former governor’s claims.

Turning the tables, the statement noted the irony of El-Rufai’s moral outrage, pointing out that senior figures from his own administration had previously accused him of using public funds to placate bandits and herders.

Challenging El-Rufai to produce proof, the government stated, “If former Governor El-Rufai possesses even a fragment of credible evidence, he is invited to make it public.”

The statement concluded with a direct threat of litigation noting, “Should he fail to retract his comments and apologise within one week, the State Government will take appropriate legal measures to safeguard public order and institutional integrity.”