The demand was contained in a letter before action dated September 7, 2026, issued by El-Rufai’s lawyers, Chambers of Ubong Akpan, and addressed to Musa at the Federal Ministry of Defence in Abuja. The dispute followed Musa’s appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on September 3, where the minister discussed insecurity in Kaduna State and made allegations concerning the former governor.
According to the letter, Musa made statements suggesting that El-Rufai had deliberately planned the killing of people, paid bandits and ordered demolitions. El-Rufai’s lawyers described the allegations as false and defamatory, arguing that they portrayed their client as a murderer, sponsor of banditry and person of criminal character.
The former governor, through his legal team, denied the allegations. His lawyers said no evidence had been produced to establish that El-Rufai deliberately planned the killing of anyone, while also rejecting the claim that he paid bandits. They maintained that El-Rufai had consistently said he would neither negotiate with nor pay bandits.
On the issue of demolitions, the lawyers said any demolitions carried out during El-Rufai’s tenure as governor were undertaken in accordance with the law and for public purposes. They also rejected allegations that his administration deliberately divided Kaduna State along ethnic or religious lines.
The legal team stressed that the allegations had not been tested or established by a court and demanded that Musa provide strict proof of the claims. They argued that the minister’s position as Defence Minister and retired military general gave his public statements particular weight and therefore increased the alleged damage to El-Rufai’s reputation.
Beyond the N10bn compensation demand, El-Rufai’s lawyers are seeking a prominent, unconditional and unambiguous retraction and apology from Musa on Politics Today. They also want the apology published in two nationally circulating newspapers, including one with significant circulation in Northern Nigeria and another in Southern Nigeria.
The lawyers further demanded preservation of recordings, transcripts, notes, communications and other materials connected with Musa’s television appearance. They also requested disclosure of the sources, documents and reports the minister relied upon in making the allegations, as well as information concerning the broadcast’s reach and engagement.
El-Rufai’s legal team has given Musa seven calendar days from effective receipt of the letter to comply with the demands. The letter warns that failure to resolve the matter could lead to court proceedings seeking declaratory relief, damages, an injunction against further publication of the allegedly defamatory statements, preservation and disclosure orders, interest and legal costs.
The dispute has also prompted calls for restraint in Southern Kaduna. Muslim and Christian leaders operating under the Jama’atu Nasril Islam and Christian Association of Nigeria platforms held a joint peace meeting in Kafanchan and urged stakeholders not to allow the disagreement between prominent public figures to inflame religious or regional tensions.
The religious leaders called for the remarks to be considered in context and urged members of the public to avoid provocative reactions, particularly on social media. Their intervention reflects concern that a dispute involving two prominent figures could reopen sensitive political and communal divisions in an area that has experienced serious security challenges.
At the same time, a Kaduna-based Muslim-Christian Network for Good Governance has expressed support for Musa, describing his comments as an assessment of the former governor’s record and rejecting what it called attempts to discredit the Defence Minister. The group cited several disputed aspects of El-Rufai’s administration, although those claims remain part of the wider political controversy and should not be treated as judicially established facts.
The immediate issue, however, is now a legal one. El-Rufai is demanding N10bn, a public retraction and an apology, while Musa faces a seven-day deadline to respond before the former governor considers further legal action. Whether the matter proceeds to court will depend on Musa’s response and any subsequent decision by El-Rufai’s legal team.
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