The 2023 Labour Party vice-presidential candidate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, has demanded that former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai be questioned over his claims that the Federal Government pays bandits. Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Baba-Ahmed criticized the office of the National Security Adviser, NSA, Nuhu Ribadu, for dismissing El-Rufai’s allegations.
“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.
He emphasized that El-Rufai should be writing statements to the police and courts, rather than making unsubstantiated claims.
DAILY POST recalls that El-Rufai alleged that the Federal Government and Kaduna State pay bandits monthly allowances and send food to them as part of non-kinetic measures. He described the policy as a “kiss-the-bandits” approach.
Baba-Ahmed’s demand for El-Rufai to be questioned highlights the growing controversy surrounding the government’s handling of banditry in Nigeria. As the nation grapples with insecurity, El-Rufai’s claims have sparked intense debate and scrutiny.