Presidency Slams El-Rufai for Supporting and Paying Bandits, Accuses Him of Double Standards

The Presidency criticized former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai for allegedly supporting and paying bandits in the past. Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga accused El-Rufai of double standards, highlighting his contradictory stance on negotiating with bandits.

El-Rufai, who once supported paying bandits for peace, now opposes such measures for political reasons. This criticism comes after El-Rufai openly disagreed with Bola Tinubu's approach to tackling insecurity, particularly regarding negotiating with terrorists and bandits.

The government accused El-Rufai of spreading falsehoods, emphasizing its consistent stance against paying ransom to bandits.