El-Rufai Family Gives Defence Minister 7-Day Ultimatum to Prove ‘Killings’ Claim or Retract

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

The family of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has issued a seven-day ultimatum to Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (Rtd.), demanding either credible evidence for a murder allegation or a public retraction and apology.

The dispute stems from a live appearance by General Musa on Channels Television’s Politics Today on September 3, 2026, during which he allegedly claimed that Mr. El-Rufai actively orchestrated killings in Southern Kaduna while serving as governor.

In a press statement signed by Hon. Mohammed Bello El-Rufai on behalf of the family, the former governor’s relatives described the allegation as “grave” and “unsubstantiated,” noting that no evidence was presented to back the claim.

“While General Musa (Rtd.) is entitled to hold and express his personal opinions, the El-Rufai family is equally entitled to demand that such serious allegations be substantiated with credible evidence,” the statement read.

The family has given the Defence Minister until September 14, 2026, to either produce proof of his allegation or retract it publicly through the same media platform.

“In the absence of such evidence, we call on him to publicly retract the allegation through the same medium on which it was made,” the statement added.

The El-Rufai family warned that failure to comply would leave them with “no option but to pursue all appropriate legal remedies available under the law.”

Mr. El-Rufai, a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and current Opposition Leader of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has faced various political and regional security criticisms during his tenure, but this marks the first time a sitting cabinet member has made such a direct personal accusation against him on national television.

As of press time, the Defence Ministry had not issued an official response to the ultimatum.