KADUNA, Nigeria — Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has demanded N10,000,000,000.00 ($6.25 million) in compensation and a public apology from Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Gen Christopher Musa (retd.), over alleged defamatory statements made during a televised interview.
Okay News reports that El-Rufai issued the demand in a letter before action dated Monday, September 7, 2026, sent through his legal counsel, the Chambers of Ubong Akpan, directly to Musa at the Federal Ministry of Defence in Abuja.
The legal demand follows Musa’s appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on September 3, 2026, where the defence minister discussed security issues in Kaduna State and made allegations regarding the former governor’s tenure.
In the letter, Musa was quoted as saying, “We can never be happy with somebody who has deliberately planned for the killing of our people.”
The letter also quoted Musa as stating, “He told us he paid bandits,” and further alleging, “The next thing he sends a bulldozer to bulldoze your house down. He’s done it.”
El-Rufai’s legal team denied all claims, stating their client never planned killings, never paid bandits, conducted all demolitions strictly for public purposes under the law, and implemented policies aimed at promoting unity across the state.
The lawyers requested a prominent retraction and apology on Politics Today, publication of the apology in two national newspapers, the preservation of all broadcast materials, and a written undertaking from Musa within seven calendar days of receiving the letter.
Following the legal notice, Muslim and Christian leaders under the Jama’atu Nasril Islam and the Christian Association of Nigeria held a joint peace meeting in Kafanchan, Kaduna State, appealing for restraint, mutual understanding, and calm across local communities.
Meanwhile, an interfaith group, the Kaduna State Muslim-Christian Network for Good Governance, issued a press statement signed by its chairman, Tahir Tanko, and secretary, Steven Kefas, backing Musa and describing his broadcast remarks as an honest assessment of El-Rufai’s administration.
