Planned killings: El-Rufai’s family gives Defence Minister 7 days ultimatum to retract allegation

. As Northern elders back Musa, insist El-Rufai ruined Kaduna   Jonas Ezieke, Abuja with Agency report  The family of former Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai,has given the Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, seven days to provide evidence backing his allegation that the former governor planned killings in Southern Kaduna or publicly withdraw...

  News   Sep 8, 2026   0   22  Add to Reading List
Planned killings: El-Rufai’s family gives Defence Minister 7 days ultimatum to retract allegation












. As Northern elders back Musa, insist El-Rufai ruined Kaduna

 

Jonas Ezieke, Abuja with Agency report 
The family of former Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai,has given the Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, seven days to provide evidence backing his allegation that the former governor planned killings in Southern Kaduna or publicly withdraw the claim.
El-Rufai, who previously served as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and Governor of Kaduna State, is currently in detention following his arrest on allegations of financial misconduct and a separate case involving the alleged unlawful interception of telephone communications of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu.
The former Governor and a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has spent over 200 days in detention.
His family issued the latest ultimatum in response to comments made by Musa during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on September 3, 2026.
Musa had accused El-Rufai of taking actions that deepened divisions and contributed to insecurity in Kaduna State during his tenure as governor between 2015 and 2023.
The Defence Minister described the situation in the state under El-Rufai as “toxic”, claiming that residents of Southern Kaduna remained unhappy with the former governor over killings recorded during his administration.
Musa said El-Rufai had divided Kaduna State to the extent that people from the southern part of the state could not go to the northern part to live.
When asked if Southern Kaduna residents were still unhappy with El-Rufai, Musa said they could not be happy with someone who had “deliberately planned for the killing of our people.”
However, El-Rufai’s family rejected the allegations and demanded that Musa produce credible evidence to support his claim.
In a statement signed by Mohammed Bello El-Rufai, the former governor’s eldest son, the family described the allegation that El-Rufai planned killings in Southern Kaduna as a grave claim made without evidence.
The family said Musa was entitled to his personal opinion but insisted that serious allegations of that nature must be backed by credible evidence.
It therefore demanded that the Defence Minister retract the allegation publicly through the same medium where he made it.
The statement read in part, “This grave allegation was made without the presentation of any evidence in support of the claim.
“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.”
The family gave Musa seven days from the date of its statement to either provide evidence supporting the allegation or issue a full public retraction and apology.
It warned that failure to meet the demand would leave the family with no option but to pursue all appropriate legal remedies over what it described as unsubstantiated allegations.
Meanwhile, the Coalition of Northern Elders for Peace and Development (CNEEPD) has launched a blistering defence of the Minister of Defence over his recent criticism El-Rufai, declaring that the minister merely exposed what it described as the “true picture” of the former governor’s administration.
The elders, in a strongly worded statement, accused the El-Rufai administration of leaving a legacy of division, controversial policies, and alleged maladministration, insisting that the former governor’s eight-year stewardship of Kaduna State should face rigorous public scrutiny rather than be protected from criticism.
The coalition said General Musa should not be vilified for speaking about the state’s experience under the former governor, stressing that the Defence Minister’s comments touched on issues that, according to the group, had affected the political stability, social cohesion and development of Kaduna.
The release was jointly signed by Engr Zana Goni, representing the North-East; Dr Mohammed Suleman, North-West; and Prof. John Anaho, North-Central.
The elders declared that Musa’s remarks represented a position they were prepared to defend, arguing that attempts to portray the minister’s comments as merely partisan or personal amounted to avoiding the substantive questions raised about El-Rufai’s 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.
According to the group, “the statement of the Defence Minister is a true picture of the El-Rufai government in Kaduna,” adding that the former governor’s record must be examined based on its consequences for ordinary citizens rather than political loyalty.
The elders accused the former administration of contributing to divisions within the state. They alleged that its style of governance generated considerable controversy over the treatment of communities and competing political interests.
They argued that a government’s performance should not be measured solely by physical projects or official claims of achievement, but also by whether it strengthens social cohesion, protects citizens’ interests and leaves 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 group insisted that Kaduna’s experience under El-Rufai warranted a comprehensive assessment, especially given ongoing political disagreements over his legacy.
The northern elders said Musa’s position deserved support because, in their view, he had demonstrated the courage to raise uncomfortable questions about the former governor’s record.
They rejected suggestions that the minister’s comments were motivated by regional or political considerations, insisting that the issue should be approached from the perspective of governance and accountability.
“Those attacking General Musa should answer the issues he raised instead of attacking the messenger,” the coalition declared.
The group added that “Leadership does not confer immunity from criticism. Former public office holders must be prepared to have their records examined, questioned and debated by Nigerians.”
CNEEPD said it was particularly concerned by what it described as attempts to turn criticism of El-Rufai into a regional confrontation.
According to the group, the North would be doing itself a disservice if it defended every former political office holder simply because of regional affiliation.
“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 elders said.
The coalition said the controversy around Musa’s remarks gave Nigerians an opportunity to revisit the record of the former Kaduna administration.
It alleged that the El-Rufai government was characterised by policies and actions that generated resentment among sections of the population and contributed to political and social tensions in the state.
The elders particularly pointed to the allegations of divisive governance and maladministration, saying these should not be brushed aside merely because El-Rufai remained politically influential.
They said the former governor’s administration must also answer questions about the effects of its policies on communities, workers, public institutions and the wider political environment.
CNEEPD argued that controversial government decisions could not be separated from their human consequences.
“A government is ultimately judged by what its policies do to the people. Where policies create hardship, resentment or division, those consequences must be part of the historical record,” the group said.
The elders stressed that their intervention was not an attempt to deny whatever achievements the former administration might have recorded, but to insist that positive claims should not be used to erase criticisms and controversies surrounding its 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,” CNEEPD stated.
The coalition also took exception to comments attributed to Yakubu Sani Wudi, a Nigerian lecturer and researcher at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Saudi Arabia, who reportedly criticised Musa and expressed disappointment over the minister’s remarks.
Wudi had said that he initially welcomed Musa’s appointment as Defence Minister with high expectations, particularly because of his previous position as Chief of Defence Staff.
“Many of us who initially welcomed his appointment with great hope are now deeply disappointed,” Wudi was quoted as saying.
He reportedly argued that Nigerians expected the office to embody strong patriotism and national unity, and said the minister’s comments during an interview on Channels Television appeared unnecessarily divisive.
But CNEEPD dismissed the criticism, arguing that disappointment with Musa should not shield the former Kaduna governor from scrutiny.
The elders said those who disagreed with the Defence Minister had the right to criticise him. Still, they insisted that the debate must equally accommodate those who believed his assessment of El-Rufai’s administration was justified.
“Those who disagree with General Musa are entitled to their opinion, but they cannot rewrite the history of Kaduna simply because they dislike what he said,” the coalition declared.
The group challenged Wudi and others critical of the minister to focus on the substance of the allegations against the former governor.
“Instead of condemning General Musa for speaking, let those defending El-Rufai tell Nigerians whether the allegations of division and maladministration are false and, if so, provide the facts,” the elders said.

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