Lawyers representing former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai have demanded ₦10 billion in damages from the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd.), over alleged defamatory statements made about their client.
The demand was contained in a letter before action dated September 7, 2026, and addressed to the Defence Minister at the Federal Ministry of Defence in Abuja.
The legal dispute followed Musa’s appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on September 3, 2026, during which he discussed insecurity in Kaduna State and made allegations involving the former governor.
According to El-Rufai’s lawyers, the minister allegedly accused the former governor of deliberately planning the killing of people in Southern Kaduna and paying bandits.
The legal team also alleged that Musa claimed El-Rufai ordered the demolition of houses and used the demolitions to target political opponents.
El-Rufai’s legal representatives, Akpan Ubong Chambers, described the allegations as false and defamatory.
They argued that the statements portrayed their client as a criminal, murderer and sponsor of banditry, and demanded that the Defence Minister publicly withdraw the allegations and apologise.
In addition to the retraction and apology, the lawyers are seeking ₦10 billion in compensation for what they described as damage to El-Rufai’s reputation.
The legal team also rejected the claim that the former governor paid bandits, stressing that El-Rufai had consistently maintained that he would neither negotiate with nor pay bandits.
On the issue of demolitions carried out during El-Rufai’s tenure, his lawyers said the exercises were conducted in accordance with the law and were undertaken for public purposes.
They also dismissed allegations that El-Rufai’s administration divided Kaduna State along ethnic and religious lines, maintaining that his government pursued policies intended to promote unity and development across the state.
The lawyers further argued that the allegations against their client had not been tested or established in court and demanded strict proof of the claims.
Separately, members of El-Rufai’s family have called for the immediate withdrawal of the allegation that the former governor deliberately planned killings in Southern Kaduna.
In a statement issued on Monday and signed by Honourable Mohammed Bello El-Rufai on behalf of the family, the allegation was described as grave and unsubstantiated.
The family said no evidence had been presented to support the claim.
It acknowledged the Defence Minister’s right to express his views but said he should be prepared to provide credible evidence to substantiate such a serious allegation.
The family gave Musa seven days from the date of its statement to either produce evidence supporting the allegation or issue a full public retraction and apology through the same medium.
It warned that failure to comply would leave the family with no choice but to pursue all appropriate legal remedies available under the law.
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