El-Rufai Demands N10bn From Defence Minister Over Kaduna Killings Claims

General Christopher Musa, the Defence Minister, is the target of a N10 billion damages suit initiated by Nasir El-Rufai, the former Governor of Kaduna State, over allegedly defamatory remarks. Through his legal representatives, El-Rufai contends that televised statements by Musa depicted him as participating in unlawful conduct.

The notification of claim, dated September 7, demands both a formal retraction and acknowledgment of wrongdoing. The genesis of this conflict traces to Musa's September 3 television appearance on Channels Television, where he made accusations that El-Rufai's gubernatorial actions between 2015 and 2023 intensified ethnic tensions and instability within Kaduna.

The minister characterized the state's situation under the former governor as 'toxic' and suggested that inhabitants of Southern Kaduna harbored resentment toward El-Rufai due to recorded deaths in that region. Musa additionally claimed that El-Rufai employed divisive administrative methods that restricted movement between north and south sections of the state.

El-Rufai's family responded through an official statement, disseminated by his son Mohammed Bello El-Rufai, imposing a deadline of seven days. Within this timeframe, the Defence Minister must either substantiate his claims with concrete documentation or face legal consequences.

The family expressed serious concern regarding the minister's statements and demanded tangible proof of the specific allegations. This matter has generated diverse reactions among political observers.

An APC chieftain from Bauchi State argued that El-Rufai's administrative tenure affected residents across all of Kaduna State, not merely the southern portion, and cautioned against interpreting Musa's comments through a sectional or faith-based lens. Meanwhile, El-Rufai remains detained on separate charges involving alleged financial wrongdoing and the purported unlawful surveillance of communications involving top national security officials.