The Birnin-Gwari Vanguard for Security and Good Governance has dismissed claims by former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufa’i, that money was paid to bandits as part of a peace arrangement in Birnin-Gwari.
El-Rufa’i, in a recent television interview, alleged that the Kaduna State government and the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) funded bandits to achieve peace in the area.
In a statement, the group described the allegation as “false and misleading,” insisting that no financial inducement was part of the peace initiative.
According to the statement, the peace model in Birnin-Gwari was initiated by the communities through the Emirate Council, in collaboration with Governor Uba Sani and the NSA.
The group explained that the demands of the ex-bandits centered on development-related issues, including the reopening of cattle markets, free movement of citizens, provision of healthcare facilities, schools, and industrial boreholes.
The statement added that the peace initiative has already yielded results, with farmers returning to previously abandoned farmlands, a decline in kidnapping and abductions, and the revival of economic activities in the area over the last nine months.
“It is disappointing that Malam Nasir El-Rufa’i, under whose tenure peace remained elusive in Birnin-Gwari, now attempts to distort facts and undermine the progress achieved,” the group said.
The Vanguard reaffirmed its support for the ongoing peace efforts, describing them as a model for other states struggling with insecurity.
