Lawyers representing former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, have demanded ₦10 billion in damages from the Minister of Defence, General ChristophAer 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 concerning the former governor.
According to El-Rufai’s lawyers, the minister allegedly accused their client 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 as a means of targeting political opponents.
El-Rufai’s lawyers, Akpan Ubong Chambers, described the allegations as false and defamatory, arguing that the statements portrayed the former governor as a criminal, murderer and sponsor of banditry.
They consequently demanded a public retraction and apology from the minister, as well as ₦10 billion in compensation for the alleged damage to El-Rufai’s reputation.
Lawyers Deny Banditry Allegation
The legal team rejected the allegation that El-Rufai paid bandits, noting that the former governor had repeatedly maintained that he would neither negotiate with nor pay bandits.
On the issue of demolitions carried out during his tenure as governor, the lawyers said the exercises were conducted in accordance with the law and were undertaken for public purposes.
They also rejected claims that El-Rufai’s administration divided Kaduna State along ethnic and religious lines.
According to the lawyers, the former governor’s administration implemented policies intended to promote unity and development across the state.
The legal team stressed that the allegations against El-Rufai had not been tested, established or determined by a court of competent jurisdiction.
It therefore demanded that the minister provide strict proof of the claims.
El-Rufai Family Demands Retraction
Separately, members of El-Rufai’s family have demanded the immediate retraction 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.
While acknowledging Musa’s right to express his personal views, the family said the Defence Minister should be prepared to substantiate such a serious allegation with credible evidence.
The family gave Musa seven days from the date of the statement to either provide evidence supporting the allegation or issue a full public retraction and apology through the same medium in which the claim was made.
It warned that failure to comply would leave the family with no option but to pursue all appropriate legal remedies available under the law.
