The Kaduna State Government has issued a stern and final warning to former Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, accusing him of trying to stir up chaos and disrupt the hard-won peace and progress in the state.
In a strongly-worded statement signed by the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Dr. Suleiman Shuaibu, the government said El-Rufai is behind recent actions and utterances aimed at inciting violence, promoting division, and undermining the administration of Governor Uba Sani.
“The government will not fold its arms and allow a discredited former leader to drag Kaduna back into an era of insecurity, ethno-religious violence, and economic backwardness,” Dr. Shuaibu said.
According to the statement, El-Rufai has been openly bitter about the progress made under Governor Sani, and is using every opportunity to discredit the administration. “Instead of supporting the efforts to rebuild Kaduna, he is exploiting old wounds and spreading dangerous lies to incite unrest,” the government said.
The tension between the current administration and El-Rufai reportedly escalated after the outcome of the August 16 by-elections. The government claims that El-Rufai’s preferred candidates were overwhelmingly rejected at the polls, including in areas traditionally dominated by the opposition.
“These elections were free and fair. The results were a clear vote of confidence in Governor Uba Sani’s people-first approach,” the statement noted. “But El-Rufai could not accept defeat with dignity. Instead, he responded with sabotage.”
The government cited an incident on August 30, where El-Rufai allegedly hosted an “illegal and chaotic” political meeting that ended in violence and gunshots. El-Rufai later claimed the state government sent thugs to disrupt the gathering, an allegation the government strongly denies.
“Why would a sitting government that just won credible elections feel threatened by a gathering of political losers?” the Commissioner asked.
Adding to the crisis, El-Rufai made headlines during a national television interview on August 31, where he accused both the federal and Kaduna State governments of “bribing bandits” as a means of securing peace.
The Kaduna State Government slammed the comments as “reckless, false, and dangerous,” warning that such statements could undermine national security efforts and legitimize criminality.
“These are not mere words,” said Dr. Shuaibu. “They are deliberate attempts to spread disinformation, provoke anger, and paint our security strategy as a failure.”
The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) also denied El-Rufai’s claims, describing them as baseless and malicious. ONSA reiterated that no arm of government pays bandits and emphasized the ongoing commitment to non-negotiation policies and military-led solutions.
The state government defended its approach to security, highlighting a steady reduction in violence across major flashpoints in Kaduna such as Birnin Gwari, Kajuru, Kauru, Giwa, and Igabi.
Through military operations and grassroots engagement under the “Kaduna Peace Model,” the administration claims it has dismantled several bandit networks and restored calm to previously volatile communities.
Notorious criminals, including bandit leaders like Boderi, Baleri, and others, have reportedly been neutralized or captured, while farming activities, education, and normal life have resumed in areas once under siege.
“Governor Uba Sani has chosen a path of inclusion and peacebuilding. We will not allow El-Rufai to destroy this progress with his politics of fear and division,” the statement emphasized.
The government accused El-Rufai of leaving behind a legacy of ethno-religious division, intimidation, and selective development during his time as governor. The statement alleged that his tenure was marked by deep mistrust between Southern and Northern Kaduna, religious tensions, and disregard for inclusive governance.
“In contrast, Governor Uba Sani has governed with equity,” the Commissioner said. “All communities are being carried along—rural and urban, Muslim and Christian, APC or not. Development is reaching every corner of the state.”
The administration highlighted its achievements in healthcare, education, infrastructure, and financial inclusion, including integrating over 2.5 million unbanked residents and raising Kaduna’s WAEC performance to 7th nationally.
In closing, the government warned that it would not allow any individual, no matter how powerful or previously influential, to sabotage the peace and stability of Kaduna State.
“El-Rufai’s era is over. Kaduna belongs to the future, not to the ruins of the past,” the statement concluded. “We will take decisive action, within the law, to protect our people and our progress.”
Residents were urged not to fall for what the government described as “desperate acts of a failed leader” and to continue supporting peace and unity.
“The peace of Kaduna is non-negotiable,” Dr. Shuaibu warned. “Anyone who tries to destroy it will face the full weight of the law.”
