“They are empowering terrorists; it’s a national policy driven by the Office of the National Security Adviser.”
Former Kaduna State Governor,and ADC chieftain, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has accused the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, of expending billions of naira through his office to provide sustenance and salaries to armed terrorists and bandits, all under the pretense of managing a non-kinetic security strategy supervised by his office.
In a video interview that is currently trending on social media platforms, El-Rufai vehemently criticized Ribadu for misleading Nigerians by overseeing the disbursement of substantial amounts of money to the terrorists under the guise of a non-kinetic approach.
In the video, the former Kaduna governor asserted that the NSA approved a payment of N1 billion to terrorists to facilitate the release of kidnapped students, in addition to supplying food and even salaries as incentives, while misleading Nigerians into believing that no compensation was given for the students’ release.
“They are empowering terrorists; it’s a national policy driven by the Office of the National Security Adviser,” El-Rufai stated.
“What I will not do is pay terrorists, give them a monthly allowance, or send food to them in the name of non-kinetic.
“It’s nonsense; we’re empowering terrorists… Kiss the terrorists; that’s the new policy.”
The ADC chieftain asserted that throughout his tenure as governor of Kaduna state, he maintained a position of rejecting similar inducements, even while confronting significant terrorism threats in the state.
It should be noted that when El-Rufai initially made these allegations during a television interview in August 2025, Ribadu promptly refuted the assertions as “false, unfounded, and profoundly disrespectful” to Nigeria’s security personnel.
In a statement issued by Zakari Mijinyawa, Head of Strategic Communication at ONSA, Ribadu’s office underscored that no ransom payments or inducements have ever been conducted under the present administration.
“On the contrary, we have consistently warned Nigerians against paying ransom,” the statement read.
The NSA emphasized military achievements, such as the removal of infamous terrorist leaders in Kaduna and the rescue of hostages, while acknowledging that these operations incurred a significant cost, with courageous officers making the ultimate sacrifice.
In response, El-Rufai countered by accusing the ONSA of politicizing national security and neglecting to address substantiated evidence.
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