A fresh political controversy has erupted around former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai after Defence Minister Christopher Musa accused him of doing “a lot of terrible things” in the state and alleged that he deliberately planned killings in Southern Kaduna. Musa made the claims during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, where he […]
A fresh political controversy has erupted around former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai after Defence Minister Christopher Musa accused him of doing “a lot of terrible things” in the state and alleged that he deliberately planned killings in Southern Kaduna.
Musa made the claims during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, where he also accused El-Rufai’s administration of creating deep divisions between northern and southern communities in Kaduna.
The minister described the atmosphere under El-Rufai as “toxic,” alleging that the former governor’s policies contributed to a situation where residents from Southern Kaduna allegedly could not freely live in northern parts of the state, while some people from the north moved towards the southern part.
“We know how it was when El-Rufai was there; it was toxic,” Musa said, before declaring that the former governor “did a lot of terrible things in Kaduna State.” He accused El-Rufai of dividing the state into two and creating serious barriers between communities.
According to Musa, Governor Uba Sani has made efforts to reverse some of those divisions since taking office. He said residents now have greater freedom to participate in the affairs of the state, although he admitted that the process of rebuilding unity was not yet 100 per cent complete.
The Defence Minister’s strongest accusation centred on the killings that occurred in Southern Kaduna during El-Rufai’s administration. Musa said residents of the region remained deeply hurt by the violence and suggested that their feelings towards the former governor were rooted in the painful experiences of that period.
He alleged that El-Rufai deliberately planned the killing of people in Southern Kaduna, saying the situation went beyond ordinary dissatisfaction with the former governor. “We can never be happy with somebody who has deliberately planned for the killing of our people,” Musa said. (Daily Post)
Musa also alleged that El-Rufai had openly discussed some of his administration’s dealings with bandits. He pointed to videos and speeches attributed to the former governor, claiming that El-Rufai spoke publicly about paying bandits and other measures adopted during his administration.
The minister said the former governor did not conceal some of the actions taken by his government, arguing that El-Rufai had openly talked about what his administration did in response to the security challenges confronting Kaduna.
Musa further maintained that Southern Kaduna residents were still traumatised by the killings but said the security situation had improved under the current administration. He argued that the scale of killings during El-Rufai’s tenure was significantly different from what was happening in the state now.
He praised Governor Sani for attempting to repair relationships among communities in Kaduna, saying the incumbent administration had taken steps to reduce the divisions between northern and southern parts of the state. Musa nevertheless acknowledged that significant challenges remained and that reconciliation was still ongoing.
The minister also levelled other accusations against El-Rufai, alleging that some residents were denied opportunities during his administration. He claimed that the former governor’s actions affected people from his own area as well, arguing that the alleged conduct was not restricted to any particular community.
“I can tell you what he has done to people living in Kaduna from his own area. He did a lot of things that I’m sure even him is not proud of,” Musa said. He also raised allegations involving demolitions during the former administration, claiming that some people lost their properties following disagreements with El-Rufai.
Musa said his criticism should not be viewed as an ethnic attack, stressing that his concern was the conduct of politicians who exploit religion, tribe or other differences to divide communities. He urged Nigerians to support leaders who prioritise unity and peaceful coexistence.
“We should get politicians that want to unite Nigeria,” he said, warning that anyone who uses religion or ethnicity to divide Nigeria should not be allowed to occupy positions of government.
The latest remarks add another layer to the increasingly bitter dispute surrounding El-Rufai and Governor Uba Sani, who were previously political allies. Sani succeeded El-Rufai as governor after serving as a senator, but their relationship subsequently deteriorated, with both sides exchanging allegations concerning governance and Kaduna’s finances.
El-Rufai is also facing corruption-related legal proceedings connected to alleged financial and administrative infractions during his tenure. He has pleaded not guilty and denied wrongdoing, as the political and legal controversies surrounding his administration continue to generate debate.