Datti Baba-Ahmed, the 2023 vice-presidential candidate of the Labour Party, has called for a formal investigation into claims made by former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, who alleged that the Federal Government was secretly paying and feeding bandits in the North.
Speaking during an interview on Politics Today, a current affairs programme aired on Channels Television, Baba-Ahmed described El-Rufai’s statement as too serious to ignore and insisted that the former governor should be invited for questioning by security agencies.
El-Rufai recently alleged that both the Federal Government and the Kaduna State Government were giving monthly allowances to bandits as part of what he described as non-kinetic measures to tackle insecurity. He went further to say that food items were also being sent to the armed groups, in what he mockingly labelled a “kiss-the-bandits” policy.
In response to the controversial remarks, the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), led by Nuhu Ribadu, issued a statement dismissing the allegations as false and dangerous. The NSA said the government would never support or encourage terrorism or banditry in any form.
However, Baba-Ahmed was not satisfied with the NSA’s reaction. He criticised the agency for what he called a “casual” response to a serious national security matter.
“If the so-called office of the National Security Adviser, NSA, would take this statement with levity, then Nuhu Ribadu was never a policeman; he is not a qualified lawyer; he should not be in that office,” Baba-Ahmed said.
The Labour Party chieftain stressed that El-Rufai’s comments amounted to a public confession or at least a serious accusation that must not be swept under the carpet.
“El-Rufai should be writing statements to the police and to the courts,” he added.
The issue of how to deal with armed bandit groups has long been a sensitive one in Nigeria, especially in the North-West and North-Central regions where communities have been repeatedly attacked. In the past, some state governments attempted dialogue or peace deals with bandits, offering them amnesty in exchange for disarmament.
However, many of these deals failed, with banditry continuing or even worsening in some areas.
El-Rufai’s comments reopened debate on the Federal Government’s handling of the crisis. Critics have warned that “negotiating with terrorists” sends the wrong message and may further encourage violence.
Since El-Rufai made the allegations, public reactions have been mixed. While some Nigerians expressed shock, others say the claim only confirmed long-standing suspicions of collusion between elements of government and criminal groups.
Baba-Ahmed’s demand for a proper investigation adds more pressure on the Tinubu administration to take a firm position on the matter. The call for El-Rufai to face questioning is especially significant coming from a leading opposition figure, but the issue is now growing beyond partisan politics.
Many Nigerians believe that the security of the country is too important to be politicised and that all claims no matter who makes them should be taken seriously.
