Seven-Day Ultimatum: El-Rufai Family Challenges Defense Minister to Prove Southern Kaduna Killing Allegation or Apologies

The family of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, has given the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (rtd.), seven days to substantiate a claim concerning the former governor's alleged involvement in killings in Southern Kaduna or publicly retract the statement and apologise. The demand was contained in a statement issued on Monday, September 7, and signed by Mohammed Bello El-Rufai on behalf of the family. The dispute followed comments reportedly made by Musa during an appearance on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme, on September 3, 2026. According to reports of the interview, the Defence Minister made critical remarks about El-Rufai's administration and alleged that the former governor had actively planned killings in Southern Kaduna while serving as governor of Kaduna State. The El-Rufai family described the allegation as serious and said no evidence was presented during the television programme to substantiate the claim. The family acknowledged the Defence Minister's right to express his views but maintained that an allegation of such gravity should be supported by credible and verifiable evidence. It therefore called on Musa to provide evidence supporting the allegation or publicly withdraw the claim through the same medium where it was made. The family gave the minister seven days from the date of its statement to comply with the demand. It also indicated that failure to substantiate or withdraw the allegation could result in the family pursuing legal remedies. The controversy adds to an ongoing political and public debate over the security situation in Kaduna State during El-Rufai's tenure from 2015 to 2023, particularly the recurrent violence and killings recorded in parts of Southern Kaduna. The latest development, however, concerns the specific allegation attributed to Musa and the El-Rufai family's demand for evidence or retraction. At the time of publication, the family had publicly stated its position and ultimatum, while the dispute over the allegation remains unresolved. Any determination regarding the truth or otherwise of the allegation would require supporting evidence and, where necessary, appropriate legal or judicial consideration.