[INTERVIEW] Minister Musa Accuses El-Rufai Of ‘Deliberate’ Division In Southern Kaduna

In a scathing assessment of past governance in Kaduna State, defence minister General Christopher Musa (retd) has accused former governor Nasir El-Rufai of pursuing policies that deliberately fuelled division and security crises, particularly in Southern Kaduna.

Speaking during an appearance on Politics Today hosted by Seun Okinbaloye, the minister rejected the notion that Southern Kaduna residents are merely “unhappy” with the former governor, characterising the sentiment as deep-seated trauma stemming from widespread violence and systemic exclusion.

Addressing questions about political dynamics in his home state, General Musa alleged that the administration under El-Rufai oversaw a period marked by loss of life and political polarisation.



When asked directly whether the Southern Kaduna community views El-Rufai as an enemy, the defence minister stated that while locals view the former governor as “misguided” rather than an outright enemy, his actions left an indelible mark on the region.

“We can never be happy with somebody who deliberately planned for the killing of our people,” Musa alleged during the interview, pointing to past public statements and videos where El-Rufai reportedly discussed making payments to bandits as evidence of policies that compromised security.

Musa contrasted that era with the current administration under Governor Uba Sani, asserting that Kaduna has experienced a “breath of fresh air” and a deliberate effort to reunite a state previously fractured along ethnic and religious lines.

The minister also touched on the broader national implications of divisive politics, defending the Department of State Services (DSS) security report that led to the Senate’s rejection of El-Rufai’s ministerial nomination.

Dismissing claims that the security clearance failure was politically motivated, Musa characterised the DSS as a highly professional service whose findings reflected serious concerns regarding past actions.

He argued that any public official who leverages ethnic, religious, or tribal fault lines to divide the country poses a fundamental threat to national stability.

“Any individual who is using either religion, tribe, or creed to divide shouldn’t be in government,” Musa noted, adding that politicians who rely on “divide and rule” tactics have no place in a modern Nigeria seeking national cohesion.

Historically, former governor Nasir El-Rufai and his media team have maintained that his administration’s security strategy, including engagements through state peace committees and security interventions, was aimed at stemming reprisal attacks, enforcing law and order, and maintaining stability across all local government areas in Kaduna State.

Efforts to reach El-Rufai’s media office for a response to the defence Minister’s latest comments remain ongoing.



Full Segment Transcript Below:

Politics Today: So, you are hoping to win your polling unit and your ward?

Christopher Musa: Of course. Very well.

Politics Today: I mean, are you that grounded, politically speaking?

Christopher Musa: Yes, I am learning the rules. And I have a very good governor who is equally doing well. As you can see, within his first year, he has shown the difference. We know how it was when El-Rufai was there—it was toxic. He did a lot of terrible things in Kaduna State, dividing the state into two.

It got to the point where if you were from the South, you couldn’t go to the North to live, and those from the North were moving to the South. You can’t imagine that in a country that is supposed to be one. But Governor Uba Sani, within one year, has been able to dissolve all that. Now everybody is free; everybody has a say. It’s not 100 per cent, but you can see that he is making a deliberate effort to unite the state.

Politics Today: Are some of you in Southern Kaduna still very unhappy with El-Rufai?

Christopher Musa: Well, I don’t know if “unhappy” is the word. I think if there is anything worse than unhappy, that’s it. We can never be happy with somebody who deliberately planned for the killing of our people.

Politics Today: Really?

Christopher Musa: Definitely.

Politics Today: These are heavy allegations. If you say that a former governor deliberately—

Christopher Musa: Look at his videos and his speeches—he was very proud of what he did. He told us he paid bandits; he told us he did this and that. He didn’t hide it. He was arrogant enough to come out and tell people that this was what he did.

Politics Today: So, some of you in Southern Kaduna see El-Rufai as an enemy?

Christopher Musa: No. Because of our upbringing, we don’t look at anybody that way. We just feel he is misguided.

Politics Today: But the Southern Kaduna people are still very pained?

Christopher Musa: Of course, definitely. If you look at the number of killings that happened there compared to what is going on now, you cannot compare them at all. He didn’t give opportunities; we couldn’t do a lot of things. But now, you can see that breath of fresh air.

Politics Today: Are you saying this because you are an APC member?

Christopher Musa: No, I’m saying it because I’m a Nigerian. You have all the video clips—you can play them all out.

Politics Today: But he is very popular in Kaduna politics.

Christopher Musa: Everybody is popular depending on who you are looking at. I can tell you what he has done to people living in Kaduna State, even from his own area. Just over personal issues with friends, the next thing he does is send a bulldozer to knock your house down. He has done it. It’s there on TV; I’m not concocting anything.

Politics Today: It sounds like you’re describing a wicked man.

Christopher Musa: People should just go on YouTube and check what he has done—you will see it. I think he did a lot of things that even he is not proud of today when he sits down to reflect. Nobody should really be doing that. We need politicians who want to unite Nigeria. We already have social gaps; we can’t have people coming in to divide the country further after Nigeria has brought them up to that level. Any individual who uses religion, tribe, or creed to cause division can never be a friend or someone we look up to. We shouldn’t have those kinds of people in government.

Politics Today: But this man was a major leader in your party. He was largely responsible for President Bola Tinubu becoming president.

Christopher Musa: I don’t know about that. I know he made some comments, but I really don’t know.

Politics Today: What about the security report on him that led the Senate to reject his ministerial nomination?

Christopher Musa: Remember that after his tenure under President Obasanjo, the Senate banned him for 10 years. So, this security report was not the first time.

Politics Today: People wondered how someone who was a minister in Abuja and a two-time governor suddenly ran into trouble becoming a minister again.

Christopher Musa: He did a lot of things that counted against him. The DSS is a very professional service. They looked at the situation critically and gave their advice. Frankly speaking, nobody can fault that.

Politics Today: So, it wasn’t political?

Christopher Musa: Not at all. The President is not the kind of person who plays that type of politics. Working with him as Chief of Defence Staff was the first time I came close to him. He genuinely loves this country and has a passion to see Nigeria change and move forward.

We don’t want people coming in to divide us. I am not a prophet, but if El-Rufai had been around in the cabinet, a lot of things would have gone differently because he enjoys “divide and rule.” This is a new Nigeria—we need to move past these divisions and focus as Nigerians on what makes our country work. That is what everyone should be working toward.

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