Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser on Policy Communication to President Tinubu, has addressed claims made by former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai regarding government payments to bandits during an interview with PAPShow.
In a video from 58:36, Responding to El-Rufai’s assertion that the current government is paying bandits, Bwala suggested the former governor was projecting past practices. “So because when he was a governor, he was paying the bandits. After he left, he now thought it continued,” Bwala stated.
When the interviewer interjected with “No, he said he didn’t pay,” Bwala referenced specific media appearances to support his position. “He said by himself in that interview. The interview you’re referring to may have been the interview on Channel TV,” he responded.
The presidential adviser then elaborated on what he claimed were El-Rufai’s previous admissions. “And let me even, on the side, say that the only reason you are able to call his name is because this is a verifiable thing. Nasir El-Rufai in that interview said that when he was a governor, it was a national policy coordinated by the office of the NSA, and they were paying them. And he continued up till today. That means he was a participant,” Bwala explained.
He concluded by questioning the former governor’s ability to distance himself from the practice. “So now, if that was the case, how can he exonerate himself?” Bwala asked.
The exchange highlights ongoing disagreements between current and former government officials over security strategies and approaches to combating banditry in Nigeria.
