El-Rufai Deliberately Planned Southern Kaduna Killing — Defence Minister

Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, has accused former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai of deliberately planning the killing of people in Southern Kaduna during his time in office.

Musa made the allegation while appearing on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he discussed the security situation in Kaduna State and the divisions that affected the state under the previous administration.

The minister claimed that El-Rufai’s administration created deep divisions between communities in the northern and southern parts of Kaduna. He alleged that the situation became so tense that residents from Southern Kaduna found it difficult to live in northern communities, while some people from the north also moved towards the southern part of the state.

Musa said the situation had started to improve under Governor Uba Sani, whom he credited with taking steps to rebuild trust and promote greater unity among residents.

He acknowledged that the process was not complete but said there had been visible progress, with residents having more freedom to live and participate in affairs across different parts of the state.

Speaking about the attitude of people in Southern Kaduna towards El-Rufai, Musa said many residents remained deeply affected by the killings recorded in the region during the former governor’s tenure.

The defence minister alleged that the killings were not simply the result of insecurity but were deliberately planned. He also accused El-Rufai of previously making public statements about his dealings with bandits and other security-related actions.

Musa said the painful memories of the violence remained strong among residents of Southern Kaduna, adding that the scale of killings recorded during the previous administration could not be compared with the current security situation in the area.

He further accused the former governor of denying opportunities to some residents during his administration. According to Musa, some of the policies adopted by El-Rufai also affected people from the former governor’s own part of Kaduna State.

The minister called on Nigerians to reject politicians who use religion, ethnicity or other social differences to create divisions among citizens.

Musa said Nigeria needed leaders who would promote unity rather than exploit existing differences for political purposes. He warned that politicians who deliberately use religious or ethnic sentiments to divide communities should not be trusted with public office.

His comments have added to the growing political debate over El-Rufai’s record as Kaduna governor, particularly concerning security, communal relations and the violence that affected parts of the state during his tenure.