Kaduna govt spent N16bn on security in five years- El-Rufai

The Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, said on Tuesday the state government had spent about N16 billion on security in the state in the last five years.

The governor, who disclosed this at a meeting with the state council of emirs and chiefs, said the state government used the money to support security agencies and to acquire technology and infrastructure to fight criminal elements in the state.

He said the funds ordinarily could have been used for developmental projects, “if the people had chosen to live in peace.”El-Rufai’s claim followed the worsening security situation in the state, especially in Southern Kaduna where over 50 people had been killed in the last month by criminal elements.

The governor also described as misleading reports of genocide and land grabbing in Southern Kaduna.

He said: “As governor, I authorise any traditional ruler to please tell the media about any inch of land within their domain that has been forcibly grabbed or illegally occupied by anybody or group and I assure you that security agencies will be there the next day to flush them out.

“But as far as I know and I receive security reports every morning, there is no such incident that the state government is aware of.

“But we don’t know everything. You know more than us because you are closer to the communities. So please report where indigenous people have been displaced by bandits or anyone else.”