El-Rufai Demands N10bn, Public Apology from Defence Minister Christopher Musa Over Alleged Defamation

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 allegations he described as false and defamatory.

The demand was contained in a letter before action dated September 7, 2026, and issued by El-Rufai’s lawyers, Chambers of Ubong Akpan. The letter was addressed to Musa at the Federal Ministry of Defence in Abuja.

The dispute followed the Defence Minister’s appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on September 3, during which he reportedly made several allegations while discussing insecurity and killings in Kaduna State.

Among the remarks attributed to Musa was the statement: “We can never be happy with somebody who has deliberately planned for the killing of our people.” The minister was also quoted as saying that El-Rufai told military authorities he paid bandits and accusing the former governor of using a bulldozer to demolish people’s homes.

El-Rufai’s legal team rejected the allegations, describing them as false and damaging to his reputation. The lawyers argued that the comments portrayed their client as a criminal, murderer, sponsor of banditry and a person of questionable character.

“Our client’s instruction is to demand the sum of N10,000,000,000.00 (Ten Billion Naira) as compensation for the injury to his reputation and the distress and inconvenience occasioned,” the letter stated.

The lawyers clarified that the N10 billion demand was being sought as compensation and a proposed settlement, rather than damages already awarded by a court. They also demanded a prominent, unconditional and unambiguous retraction and apology on Politics Today, with the same or greater prominence as the alleged statements.

El-Rufai’s lawyers further demanded that the apology be published in two nationally circulating newspapers, including one with major circulation in Northern Nigeria and another in the South. They insisted that their client had never planned killings, paid bandits or committed any criminal offence connected to the allegations.

The legal team also defended demolitions carried out under El-Rufai’s administration, saying they were undertaken in accordance with the law and for public purposes. The former governor was given seven days to receive compliance from Musa, failing which the lawyers said legal action could follow.

Meanwhile, Muslim and Christian leaders in Southern Kaduna have appealed for calm and dialogue over the controversy. Leaders of the Jama’atu Nasril Islam and Christian Association of Nigeria made the call during a joint peace meeting in Kafanchan, urging Nigerians not to allow the dispute to fuel religious or regional tensions.