The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) has dismissed claims by former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, that the government offers payments and incentives to bandits.

In a statement issued on Monday in Abuja by ONSA spokesperson, Zakari Mijinyawa, the office described the allegation as “false and baseless,” stressing that neither ONSA nor any arm of the current administration has ever paid ransom or inducements to criminals.

The statement noted that the government’s approach to tackling insecurity has been anchored on combined military operations and community engagement, which have yielded results in previously troubled parts of Kaduna State such as Igabi, Birnin Gwari, and Giwa.

According to ONSA, several notorious bandit leaders — including Boderi, Baleri, Sani Yellow Janburos, Buhari, and Boka — have been eliminated in military operations, while key Ansaru commanders operating in Kaduna were recently apprehended.

“These successes came at a cost, with some of our brave officers paying the supreme price. For a former governor to deny these sacrifices is unfair and deeply insulting to their memories,” the statement read.

ONSA further cautioned political actors against dragging security institutions into partisan debates, adding that the fight against banditry must remain a collective effort rather than a tool for political point-scoring.