Former Kaduna State Governor and ex-Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nasir El-Rufai, has given the Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, seven days to provide evidence backing his allegation that he deliberately planned killings in Southern Kaduna or publicly retract the claim.
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.
Speaking during a live edition of Politics Today on Channels Television on September 3, Musa described El-Rufai’s administration as divisive and alleged that he had deliberately planned the killing of people in Southern Kaduna.
“If there is anything worse than unhappy. We can never be happy with somebody who has deliberately planned for the killing of our people,” Musa said.
He also accused the former governor of ordering the demolition of houses belonging to people with whom he had personal disagreements.
However, El-Rufai’s family, in a statement signed by his eldest son, Mohammed Bello El-Rufai, denied the allegation and demanded evidence.
The family said the allegation was grave and had been made without any evidence, adding that Musa was entitled to his opinion but must substantiate such a serious claim.
It therefore gave the Defence Minister seven days to either provide evidence or issue a full public retraction and apology through the same medium where the allegation was made.
“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,” the statement said.
El-Rufai, who served as FCT minister and Kaduna governor, is currently an opposition leader of the African Democratic Congress.