Former Governor Nasir El-Rufai has doubled down on his allegations against the Office of National Security Adviser and the Kaduna government.

“As usual, the combined voices of the Government of Kaduna State (KDSG) and ONSA, instead of responding to the core issues I raised, seek to deflect responsibility by alleging that exposing them amounts to politicizing security,” the former governor said on Monday.

Mr El-Rufai added, “As a person whose three siblings served in the Nigerian Army and the Air Force, with one of them rising to the rank of general, I have and will continue to appreciate and honor the memory of our citizens in uniform who have made sacrifices for Nigeria.

“I will also continue to appreciate the immense work that continues to be done by gallant officers of the military and security agencies.”

The politician also alleged a lack of clarity in the management of security challenges by the ONSA, accusing the office of conniving with a certain lawmaker and politicising national security.

“If the ONSA thinks Nigerians are not following its unclear and incompetent management of terrorism and banditry in Northern Nigeria and beyond, in collaboration with a certain senator, also from the North, then it is high time it carried out an in-depth evaluation and review of its actions,” he said.

Mr El-Rufai pointed out that his government was the first “to reveal the government’s ongoing greasing of the palms of non-state actors in Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, Niger, Kebbi, and other states”, slamming NSA Nuhu Ribadu for feigning ignorance.

Insisting that the government is complicit in sheltering bandits, Mr El-Rufai accused ONSA of “lousy protocol and public relations duties at the expense of the expertise of trained professionals”, rather than being discreet in gathering intelligence and coordination.