The Birnin-Gwari Vanguard for Security and Good Governance has described as false and misleading former Kaduna State Governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai’s claim that money was given to bandits as part of the area’s peace pact.
In a sharply worded statement signed by its Chairman, Ibrahim Abubakar NaGwari, the group branded El-Rufai’s comments in a recent television interview as “lies and half-truths,” intended to undermine the existing peace model’s effectiveness.
According to the group, the Birnin-Gwari peace project was community-driven and supervised by the Emirate Council, with Governor Uba Sani and the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) on board. It emphasized that no money changed hands during conversations with the former criminals.
Instead, the repentant soldiers’ requests focused on development-oriented initiatives such as reopening cattle markets, allowing civilians to move freely, and providing healthcare facilities, schools, and industrial boreholes.
The statement also stated that the peace process has shown encouraging outcomes, with nine months of relative stability, farmers returning to their farmlands, kidnapping occurrences significantly reduced, and economic activity resuming.
“It is laughable that El-Rufai, who failed to restore peace in Birnin-Gwari and other security-prone areas during his tenure, now seeks to misrepresent and undermine a model that has brought relief to our people,” the group declared.
The group described the peace approach as a “beacon of hope” and said it was now garnering interest from other governments dealing with insecurity.
The group encouraged El-Rufai to “refrain from spreading falsehoods” and instead focus his efforts on constructive interaction.
