Muslim and Christian leaders in Southern Kaduna have urged Nigerians to remain calm and avoid actions that could heighten tensions following comments made by Defence Minister, General Christopher Musa (retd.), concerning former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai.
The appeal was made during a joint peace meeting in Kafanchan, Kaduna State, organised under the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).
The call for restraint comes as El-Rufai has demanded N10 billion in compensation and a public apology from Musa over statements he described as defamatory.
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 the Defence Minister at the Federal Ministry of Defence in Abuja.
The legal action followed Musa’s appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on September 3, where he discussed insecurity in Kaduna State and made allegations concerning the former governor.
El-Rufai’s legal team argued that Musa’s remarks falsely portrayed the former governor as being responsible for killings, paying bandits, carrying out unlawful demolitions and promoting ethnic and religious division in Kaduna State.
The lawyers demanded a prominent and unconditional retraction of the statements, alongside a public apology during Politics Today. They also requested that the apology be published in two nationally circulating newspapers, one with a significant Northern readership and another with a significant Southern readership.
In addition, the lawyers demanded N10 billion as compensation for what they described as damage to El-Rufai’s reputation, as well as the distress and inconvenience allegedly caused by the statements.
The legal team clarified that the N10 billion was a demand for compensation and settlement and was not an amount already awarded by a court.
El-Rufai’s lawyers rejected the allegations, maintaining that no evidence had been produced to establish that the former governor deliberately planned the killing of anyone in Southern Kaduna.
They also denied that El-Rufai paid bandits, stating that he had consistently maintained that he would not negotiate with or pay bandits.
On demolitions carried out during his administration, the lawyers said such actions were conducted in accordance with the law and for public purposes.
They further rejected claims that El-Rufai’s administration deliberately divided Kaduna State along ethnic or religious lines, arguing that his government pursued policies intended to promote unity and development.
The lawyers also requested that Musa preserve recordings, transcripts, notes, communications and other materials connected to his television appearance. They sought details of the sources and documents relied upon by the minister in making the allegations.
Musa was also asked to provide a written undertaking not to repeat or republish the statements or allegations of a substantially similar nature.
The letter gave the minister seven calendar days from the effective date of receipt to respond to the demands. His lawyers also requested written acknowledgement of receipt within 24 hours.
El-Rufai’s legal team warned that failure to resolve the matter could lead to court proceedings seeking declaratory relief, damages, injunctions against further publication, preservation and disclosure orders, interest and legal costs.
Meanwhile, religious leaders in Southern Kaduna have urged both sides and the wider public to approach the dispute through dialogue rather than allowing it to trigger ethnic or religious mobilisation.
Chairman of the Council of Imams, Southern Kaduna, Imam Muhammed Kabir Kasim, appealed to Nigerians to consider the context of Musa’s comments and avoid relying on social media interpretations.
He described Musa as an experienced military officer and public servant and urged residents not to allow disagreements over political statements to damage relationships between communities.
The Southern Kaduna/Jema’a branch of JNI, however, defended Musa’s remarks and criticised El-Rufai’s record as governor.
The group accused the former governor’s administration of policies it said affected traditional rulers, workers, religious leaders and residents, while also alleging that his government mishandled insecurity and demolitions.
JNI maintained that Musa’s comments reflected the experiences of residents during El-Rufai’s tenure and challenged those disputing the allegations to provide contrary facts.
The organisation also called for unity in Kaduna State and expressed support for Musa in his role as Defence Minister.
The dispute is now developing into a potential defamation case, with El-Rufai demanding N10 billion, a public apology and a retraction from the Defence Minister.
