Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has alleged that the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, is involved in non-kinetic engagements with terrorist groups, including feeding them, paying their salaries, and approving the payment of ₦1 billion as ransom to facilitate negotiations. El-Rufai made the claims while criticising what he described as a soft and ineffective approach to Nigeria’s worsening security crisis.

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According to El-Rufai, the strategy of negotiating with armed groups under the guise of non-kinetic operations has emboldened terrorists rather than weakening them. He argued that providing financial or material support to such groups undermines the sacrifices of security personnel and communities affected by insurgency, banditry, and kidnapping across the country.

The former governor did not provide documentary evidence to support the ransom payment claim but insisted that the policy direction at the highest level of security management has failed to yield lasting peace. He called for a tougher, more decisive response that prioritises intelligence-driven military action and accountability.

As of the time of reporting, Nuhu Ribadu and the Office of the National Security Adviser have not issued an official response to the allegations. The claims have, however, sparked intense debate among political actors and security analysts, with many calling for clarification from the federal government amid ongoing efforts to tackle terrorism and violent crime nationwide.