Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has demanded N10 billion in compensation and a public apology from the Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.), over alleged defamatory statements made during a Channels Television programme.
The demand was contained in a letter before action dated 7 September 2026, issued by El-Rufai’s lawyers, the Chambers of Ubong Akpan, and addressed to Musa at the Federal Ministry of Defence in Abuja.
The legal action followed Mr Musa’s appearance on Politics Today on 3 September, where he discussed insecurity in Kaduna State and made allegations concerning the former governor.
Allegations against El-Rufai
According to the letter, Mr Musa allegedly accused the former governor of deliberately planning the killing of people, paying bandits and ordering demolitions.
Mr Musa was quoted as saying, “We can never be happy with somebody who has deliberately planned for the killing of our people.”
He was also quoted as saying of Mr El-Rufai, “He told us he paid bandits,” and, “The next thing he sends a bulldozer to bulldoze your house down. He’s done it.”
Mr El-Rufai’s lawyers described the statements as false and defamatory, arguing that, taken together, they portrayed their client as “a criminal, a murderer, a sponsor of banditry” and a person of “the most base and depraved character.”
Lawyers demand retraction
The legal team demanded a “prominent, unconditional and unambiguous retraction, correction and apology” from Mr Musa on Politics Today, with the same or greater prominence given to the original remarks.
They also demanded that the apology be published in two nationally circulating newspapers, one principally circulating in Northern Nigeria and another in Southern Nigeria.
On the N10bn compensation, the lawyers clarified that the amount was a demand for settlement and compensation for alleged damage to Mr El-Rufai’s reputation, distress and inconvenience, and not damages already awarded by a court.
El-Rufai denies claims
The former governor’s lawyers rejected the allegations, saying there was no evidence that their client had deliberately planned the killing of anyone in Southern Kaduna.
They also said Mr El-Rufai had consistently maintained that he would neither negotiate with nor pay bandits.
On demolitions carried out during his administration, the lawyers maintained that they were conducted “in accordance with the law and for public purposes.” They equally rejected claims that his administration divided Kaduna along ethnic or religious lines.
The lawyers stressed that “none of the allegations made by you has been tested, proved or determined by any court of competent jurisdiction,” and demanded strict proof.
Seven-day deadline
El-Rufai’s legal team gave Mr Musa seven calendar days from the effective date of receipt of the letter to meet its demands.
The lawyers also demanded that the minister acknowledge receipt within 24 hours and provide a substantive response by 4pm on the seventh calendar day.
They warned that failure to respond could be relied upon in any subsequent legal proceedings concerning mitigation, aggravated damages and whether Mr Musa genuinely believed the allegations to be true.
Possible court action
If Mr Musa fails to comply, El-Rufai’s lawyers said their client could pursue court action seeking declaratory relief, damages, injunctions restraining further publication of the allegations, preservation and disclosure orders, interest and legal costs.
They also requested the preservation and disclosure of recordings, transcripts, notes, communications and source materials connected to Mr Musa’s television appearance, including information about the programme’s reach and engagement.
Religious leaders call for restraint
The legal dispute has also prompted Muslim and Christian leaders in Southern Kaduna to call for peace, restraint and dialogue.
The appeal was made during a joint peace meeting in Kafanchan organised under the Jama’atu Nasril Islam and the Christian Association of Nigeria.
Chairman of the Council of Imams, Southern Kaduna, Imam Muhammed Kabir Kasim, urged Nigerians to consider the context of Mr Musa’s comments and avoid allowing social media interpretations to deepen tensions.
He said, “Whatever anybody says, we should always look at the intention and the context. We should not allow social media interpretations to determine our relationship with one another.”
Similarly, Chairman of JNI, Southern Kaduna/Jema’a, Mallam Garba Alhassan Adamu, urged stakeholders to engage constructively, saying Musa was concerned about peace and stability in the region.
CAN Chairman in Kachia Local Government Area, Rev. Ezekiel Jock, also called for facts-based discussions, warning against turning disagreements over public comments into religious or regional conflicts.
Group backs defence minister
Meanwhile, the Kaduna State Muslim-Christian Network for Good Governance backed Musa, describing his comments about the former governor’s administration as “an honest and patriotic assessment.”
The group accused the El-Rufai administration of divisive and arbitrary policies, citing issues including insecurity, demolitions, treatment of traditional rulers and workers, and alleged actions against Christian and Muslim leaders who criticised the government.
It maintained that Mr Musa’s remarks reflected the experiences of residents during El-Rufai’s tenure and challenged those disputing them to provide facts to the contrary.
The dispute has moved beyond a political disagreement into a potential N10bn defamation case, with El-Rufai demanding a public retraction while religious and community leaders warn against allowing the controversy to inflame ethnic or religious tensions.
For Nigerians, the case also highlights the importance of separating allegations from established facts, particularly when serious accusations involving killings, banditry and public officials are made. Any claims ultimately challenged in court will be subject to the applicable legal process.
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