El-Rufai and Buhari, both members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), were vocal critics of the previous government, especially knocking its efforts in combating insecurity in Nigeria.

Since they have both assumed power, insecurity has spiked all across the country, with Kaduna one of the worst-hit by the activities of bandits who have killed thousands and kidnapped more for ransom.

Speaking at a security meeting in Kaduna on Thursday, June 10, 2021, El-Rufai lamented that serious security deficits have devastated the rural economy, and made the lives of people hell.

In attendance at the meeting were Directors of the State Commands of the Directorate of State Security (DSS) in the North West whom the governor said must work in tandem.

He said the state commands must constantly share information and experiences as any plan that seeks to address the problem only in one state will at best yield a temporary respite as criminals can retreat to other places with no active operations.

The governor lamented that a similar joint effort in 2015 that almost put an end to the criminal activities was not sustained.

"The security agencies need to strengthen intelligence gathering, to establish not just the identities, plans, and locations of these criminals, but to actively disrupt their capacity to organise and mount attacks on our citizens," he said.

El-Rufai noted that it is very important to ensure that prompt and coordinated action becomes the default response of security agencies so as to restore peace and order to the country.

Bandits, mostly armed gangs terrorising mostly rural communities, killed a total of 937 people and kidnapped 1,972 others in Kaduna last year.

At least 323 people were also killed and 949 people kidnapped between January and March this year.