Mixed reactions continue to trail comments by Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.), about former Kaduna State Governor and African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain Nasir El-Rufai.
Musa, speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, accused El-Rufai of policies and actions that allegedly deepened divisions and insecurity in Kaduna State during his tenure from 2015 to 2023.
He said: “El-Rufai did a lot of terrible things in Kaduna State. He divided the state into two. In that, if you are from the south, you cannot go to the north to live.”
The remarks sparked varied responses on social media.Teacher Nura Bako Zango questioned the allegations, arguing that communal clashes and religious conflicts in Kaduna predated El-Rufai’s administration.
He cited the 2011 post-election violence and the 1992 Zangon Kataf crisis, insisting historical context must be considered before assigning sole blame to the former governor.
Abdulmatin Muhammed Jibril, in a Facebook post, challenged Musa to provide evidence. “As a general of the Nigerian Army, what efforts did you make to protect your people from him? Show us just one piece of evidence of you speaking up,” he wrote.
Ibrahim Idris Muazzam described the minister’s remarks as unfortunate, insisting El-Rufai governed fairly and without discrimination.
Sani Ahmed also dismissed the claims, noting that ethnic and religious divisions in Kaduna existed long before El-Rufai’s governorship.
Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation Babachir Lawal defended Musa. He said the experiences of Southern Kaduna residents under El-Rufai’s administration could not be dismissed.
While acknowledging El-Rufai’s supporters’ right to defend him, Lawal maintained that such views did not erase the grievances of many Southern Kaduna people.
He drew a controversial comparison, stating that Southern Kaduna residents viewed El-Rufai the way Jews view Adolf Hitler, and added that Governor Uba Sani’s administration is working to heal old wounds.
Victor Mathew Bobai, Senior Special Adviser on Public Affairs to Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani, urged Nigerians to focus on the substance of Musa’s claims rather than assumptions about political motives.
He said the comments should be seen as part of democratic discourse, not an official military directive.“We must distinguish between an official directive and a political opinion.
General Musa did not issue a military order, announce a defence policy, or instruct the Armed Forces to support any political party. He participated in a public conversation and expressed his assessment of the political environment,” Bobai said.
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