El-Rufai family challenges defence minister to prove southern Kaduna killing claim

THE family of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has demanded evidence from Defence Minister, Christopher Musa, over his allegation that the former governor was involved in planning killings in Southern Kaduna.

The family issued the challenge on Monday, giving Musa seven days to substantiate the claim or publicly withdraw it and apologise.

The demand was contained in a statement signed by Bello El-Rufai, a member of the House of Representatives, on behalf of the family.

Musa made the allegation during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on September 3, where he accused the former governor of worsening divisions between northern and southern parts of Kaduna State.

The minister alleged that El-Rufai’s administration created conditions that restricted movement between the two parts of the state, claiming that residents from the north moved south while those from Southern Kaduna were prevented from settling in the north.

Musa also accused the former governor of paying bandits and said El-Rufai had publicly acknowledged some of the actions taken by his administration.

Despite the allegations, the defence minister said he did not consider El-Rufai an enemy, describing him instead as “misguided.”

The former governor’s family, however, rejected the allegations concerning the Southern Kaduna killings, arguing that Musa had presented no evidence to support such a serious accusation.

According to the family, an allegation that a former state governor actively planned killings amounts to a grave claim that cannot be made without credible evidence.

The family therefore challenged Musa to produce evidence backing his claim within seven days of the statement.

It said the minister must either substantiate the allegation or issue a full public retraction and apology.

The family warned that failure to meet the demand would compel it to explore legal options available under Nigerian law.

The dispute adds to the long-running controversy surrounding the security situation in Southern Kaduna during El-Rufai’s tenure as governor, with competing claims over the causes of violence and the government’s response to the killings.