El-Rufai says banditry has been a challenging roadblock to the state's economic goals.
Nasir El-Rufai, the governor of Kaduna, claims that the state's reputation for insecurity is undermining investor confidence and limiting economic growth potential.
According to the government's own records, the state was one of the most afflicted by banditry and murder in the northern region, with 1,482 persons slain and 3,695 kidnapped between January 2020 and June 2021.
El-Rufai claimed rural banditry has been a difficult hurdle to the state's economic aspirations in an interview on Channels TV on Thursday, September 23, 2021.
"You're usually in Kaduna and you spend the night and you know that it is not as unsafe as the media puts out.
"One of the basic problems we face is people perceiving Kaduna to be insecure," he said.
He believes it has given investors cause for concern, but that it is not as bad as has been reported.
El-Rufai said the government must invest heavily to secure the rural and semi-urban areas most hit by the surge of violence, because agriculture is so important to the state's economic ambitions.
He went on to say that putting so much money into security is diverting resources away from other development projects that could help the state's finances.
Despite the difficulties, the governor stated that Kaduna is committed to economic development and improving the lives of its residents.