Human rights activist and social critic, Mahdi Shehu, has taken a swipe at former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, accusing him of double standards and hypocrisy over his recent comments on how to handle insecurity in Nigeria.
Speaking in reaction to El-Rufai’s interview on Channels Television last week, Mahdi Shehu said the former governor had no moral ground to criticize others for allegedly paying bandits when he himself admitted to doing the same while in office.
According to Shehu, it is shocking that El-Rufai would now condemn Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State and National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, for allegedly negotiating or offering material support to armed groups. He pointed to a newspaper report dated December 3, 2016, where El-Rufai was quoted saying his government paid “compensation” to violent herders to stop attacks in southern Kaduna.
In that report, El-Rufai said: “We took specific measures by sending teams to trace these individuals in countries like Cameroon and Niger, informing them that there is a new governor who is Fulani, willing to pay compensation for lives lost, and urging them to stop the killings.”
Mahdi Shehu said this statement clearly showed that El-Rufai had used financial incentives to try to stop violence — the same approach he now criticizes others for.
“Is this not the same El-Rufai who once admitted to paying compensation and gifts to armed groups, yet now condemns others for using material inducement as part of security management simply because he is no longer in the corridors of power?” Shehu asked.
The activist accused El-Rufai of selective memory and political hypocrisy, saying the former governor was part of a government that failed to end insecurity despite spending trillions of naira.
“Has El-Rufai forgotten that between 2015 and 2023, under Buhari’s government where he was a key figure, insecurity and reckless security spending became the order of the day? Has he forgotten that under his former boss, insecurity reached its peak despite huge funds spent in the name of fighting insurgency?” Shehu added.
He further described El-Rufai’s recent interview with Channels TV presenter Seun Okinbaloye as a display of bitterness, anger, and poor judgment.
“Throughout the entire interview, El-Rufai’s remarks were marked by anger, bitterness, and vindictiveness, reflecting serious lapses in judgment. It would appear that even the passage of time will not heal Nasiru’s self-inflicted wounds,” Mahdi said.
He warned that those who once held power should not rewrite history or pretend to have all the answers after leaving office. According to Shehu, it is too early to judge Governor Uba Sani’s methods until his time in office is complete.
“If Nuhu Ribadu and Governor Uba Sani are guilty of what El-Rufai accuses them of, then El-Rufai is far guiltier, given his more than 20 years in the corridors of power,” he said.
“Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.”
The debate over how best to tackle insecurity — especially in northern Nigeria — has remained a hot topic. With banditry, kidnapping, and violence affecting communities for over a decade, several governments at both federal and state levels have been accused of paying off armed groups, negotiating with criminals, or failing to act decisively.
