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The former Kaduna governor Nasir el-Rufai is demanding that Defence Minister Christopher Musa provide credible evidence to support his allegation that he planned killings in Southern Kaduna.
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Musa alleged that El-Rufai deliberately planned killings in Southern Kaduna, divided Kaduna State along regional lines, ordered politically motivated demolitions and admitted paying bandits during his time as governor.
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In a statement, the El-Rufai family described the accusation as one of the gravest ever made against the former governor, insisting it was aired without a shred of evidence.
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The family warned that failure to produce evidence or withdraw the allegation would trigger legal proceedings, escalating one of the biggest political confrontations ahead of the 2027 elections.
September 07, (THEWILL) — Former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, has thrown down the gauntlet to the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (rtd.), demanding that he substantiate allegations linking him to the killings in Southern Kaduna or prepare to defend the claims in court.
The dramatic ultimatum came in a statement issued by the El-Rufai family following comments made by Musa during a live broadcast of Politics Today on Channels Television on September 3, where the Defence Minister accused the former governor of deliberately planning killings in Southern Kaduna during his eight-year administration.
In the interview, Musa alleged that El-Rufai left Kaduna deeply divided, claiming residents from Southern Kaduna could no longer freely live in the northern part of the state, while northerners also relocated to the southern axis because of the tense atmosphere created during his administration.
He described Kaduna under El-Rufai as “toxic,” insisting that the people of Southern Kaduna could never forgive someone he accused of deliberately planning the killing of their people.
He also alleged that El-Rufai used state power to demolish houses belonging to people with whom he had personal disagreements and claimed the former governor openly admitted paying bandits during the height of insecurity in the state.
Family Demands Evidence, Public Retraction
Responding in a statement signed by Hon. Mohammed Bello El-Rufai, the eldest son of the former governor, the family said it had taken the allegations with “serious concern,” describing them as grave accusations made without any supporting evidence.
The statement stressed that while General Musa was entitled to his personal opinions, accusing a former governor of planning killings was a criminal allegation that could not be made casually on national television.
The family insisted that the burden of proof rests entirely on the Defence Minister and challenged him to present credible evidence to Nigerians.
“While General Musa (Rtd.) is entitled to hold and express his personal opinions, the El-Rufai family is equally entitled to demand that such serious allegations be substantiated with credible evidence.
“In the absence of such evidence, we call on him to publicly retract the allegation through the same medium on which it was made,” the family said.
It gave Musa seven days from September 7 to substantiate the claim or issue what it described as a “full public retraction and apology”.
The family warned that failure to comply would leave it with no option but to pursue legal action.
“Failure to do so will leave the family with no option but to pursue all appropriate legal remedies available under the law in response to these unsubstantiated allegations,” it said.
Northern Elders Defend Musa
Meanwhile, the Coalition of Northern Elders for Peace and Development (CNEEPD) has thrown its weight behind the Defence Minister.
In a statement jointly signed by Engr. Zana Goni, representing the North-East; Dr Mohammed Suleman (North-West) and Prof. John Anaho (North-Central), the group accused the eight-year El-Rufai administration of leaving behind a legacy of division, controversial policies and alleged maladministration.
It argued that the former governor’s record should be subjected to rigorous public scrutiny rather than shielded from criticism because of his political influence or regional identity.
CNEEPD said Musa should not be vilified for speaking about Kaduna’s experience under El-Rufai, maintaining that the minister’s remarks touched on issues that affected the state’s political stability, social cohesion and development.
The elders rejected attempts to portray his comments as merely partisan or personal, arguing that doing so would divert attention from the substantive questions raised about the former administration.
“General Christopher Musa did not invent the history of Kaduna State. He spoke about a reality that Nigerians must have the courage to confront,” the coalition said, describing the Defence Minister’s assessment as “a true picture of the El-Rufai government in Kaduna.”
According to the group, the former governor’s record should be judged not only by infrastructure projects or official claims of achievement but also by the consequences of his policies for ordinary citizens, communities and public institutions.
It argued that a government’s performance must equally be measured by its ability to promote social cohesion, protect citizens’ interests and leave behind institutions capable of sustaining development.
“Development cannot be reduced to buildings, roads and statistics when the people are divided, and public confidence in government is weakened,” CNEEPD said.
The elders alleged that the El-Rufai administration adopted policies and a style of governance that generated resentment among sections of the population and contributed to political and social tensions in Kaduna.
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They said questions surrounding the treatment of communities, workers, public institutions and competing political interests should form part of any objective assessment of the former governor’s tenure.
The coalition stressed that its intervention was not intended to suggest that the administration recorded no achievements.
Rather, it said positive claims should not be used to erase controversies or prevent legitimate criticism of policies and decisions taken during the eight-year tenure.
“We are not asking Nigerians to accept propaganda from either side. We are asking them to look at the facts and judge the administration objectively,” it said.
CNEEPD also rejected what it described as attempts to turn criticism of El-Rufai into a regional confrontation.
The elders warned that the North would be doing itself a disservice by automatically defending former political office holders simply because they belonged to the region.
“The North must stop protecting individuals at the expense of the truth. Our loyalty must first be to the people, to good governance and to the peace of the region,” the group said.
The elders challenged those defending El-Rufai to address the substance of the allegations rather than attack the minister personally.
According to CNEEPD, leaving public office does not place a former governor beyond accountability.
It said the record of any public official automatically becomes part of the history of the state and should remain open to scrutiny, debate and criticism after the individual has left office.
Background
Southern Kaduna has witnessed recurring communal, ethnic and religious violence for decades, with successive governments facing criticism over their handling of insecurity in the region.
During El-Rufai’s administration from 2015 to 2023, numerous attacks and reprisals occurred across several communities, prompting accusations from community groups and human rights organisations that his government failed to adequately protect residents.
El-Rufai repeatedly denied allegations of bias during his tenure, maintaining that his administration confronted insecurity across Kaduna State irrespective of ethnicity or religion.
Musa maintained during the television interview that his criticism was not personal or based on regional sentiment, but on what he described as the reality of Kaduna’s experience under El-Rufai’s leadership.
He praised Governor Uba Sani for making deliberate efforts to restore unity and improve relations between communities in Kaduna State.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
