Military fires back at El-Rufai over bandit pay claim

The Nigerian military has rubbished claims by former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, that bandits are being pampered with cash and food by the Federal Government.

Chief of Defence Operations, Major General Emeka Onumajuru, said on Tuesday that the armed forces have never paid bandits a kobo. Instead, he explained, repentant fighters are handled under the government’s Operation Safe Corridor programme in Gombe and Zamfara.

“You surrender your weapons, you are profiled. Those guilty face the law, while others who were forced into crime undergo rehabilitation,” Onumajuru said.

El-Rufai had stirred controversy on Channels TV, accusing the government of running a “kiss-the-bandits policy” by allegedly paying stipends and delivering food to criminals.

But the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) swiftly dismissed the allegation as “false and baseless.”

“At no time has the government paid ransom or inducements to criminals,” ONSA spokesman Zakari Mijinyawa stressed, warning Nigerians against ransom payments.

The military urged citizens to work with security agencies to tighten border security and expose criminal networks.