The family of former Kaduna State Governor, former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and opposition leader of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd.), demanding that he provide evidence to support his allegation that the former governor actively planned killings in Southern Kaduna while in office or publicly retract the claim and apologise.
The family made the demand in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday, September 7, 2026, and signed by Hon. Mohammed Bello El-Rufai on behalf of the family.
The statement followed comments allegedly made by Musa during a live appearance on Politics Today, a programme aired by Channels Television on September 3, 2026.
According to the El-Rufai family, the Defence Minister alleged during the programme that El-Rufai actively planned killings in Southern Kaduna during his tenure as governor of Kaduna State.
The family described the allegation as a grave claim capable of damaging the reputation of the former governor and insisted that such an allegation should not be made without credible evidence.
The family said it had noted the comments with “serious concern”, particularly because, according to it, no evidence was presented during the television programme to substantiate the allegation.
The statement read in part: “The family of Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, the former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), former Governor of Kaduna State and Opposition Leader of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has noted with serious concern the allegations made by General Christopher Musa (Rtd.), Minister of Defence, on 3 September 2026 during a live television broadcast of Politics Today on Channels TV.
“During the programme, General Musa alleged that Mallam Nasir El-Rufai actively planned killings in Southern Kaduna while serving as Governor of Kaduna State.”
The family said it recognised Musa’s right to hold and express personal opinions but maintained that the allegation went beyond an ordinary political disagreement and therefore required evidence.
“While General Musa (retd.) 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 family stated.
It further argued that making such a serious allegation against a former governor without presenting evidence could have significant consequences for his reputation and public standing.
The family stressed that it was not merely asking Musa to clarify his position but was demanding that he either substantiate the allegation with evidence or withdraw it.
According to the family, no evidence capable of establishing the allegation was presented during the September 3 television appearance.
“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 said.
The family consequently gave the Defence Minister seven days from the date of the statement to respond to the demand.
“Accordingly, General Musa (retd.) is hereby given seven (7) days from the date of this statement to either provide evidence in support of his allegation or issue a full public retraction and apology,” it stated.
The ultimatum means that Musa is expected, within the stipulated period, to produce evidence supporting his claim that El-Rufai actively planned killings in Southern Kaduna or publicly withdraw the allegation and apologise.
The family also insisted that any retraction should be made through the same platform on which the allegation was made, apparently seeking a public clarification that would reach the same audience that heard the original claim.
The dispute comes against the backdrop of heightened political activity ahead of the 2027 general elections, with El-Rufai now playing a prominent role in the opposition political space.
The former Kaduna governor is a leading figure in the African Democratic Congress, which has emerged as part of the opposition political realignment ahead of the 2027 elections.
The family, however, framed its demand around the specific allegation made against El-Rufai rather than the broader political disagreements surrounding him.
It warned that Musa’s failure to meet the seven-day deadline would leave the family with no option but to pursue legal remedies.
“Failure to do so will leave the family with no option but to pursue all appropriate legal remedies available under the law in response to these unsubstantiated allegations,” the family said.
The statement did not specify the particular legal action the family intends to pursue but made clear that it considers the allegation sufficiently serious to warrant legal intervention if Musa does not provide evidence or retract it.
The family’s demand therefore places the Defence Minister on a seven-day deadline to either substantiate the claim that El-Rufai planned killings in Southern Kaduna or publicly withdraw the allegation and apologise.
As of the issuance of the statement on Monday, the family maintained that the allegation remained unsupported by evidence presented during the television programme and said it was prepared to take the matter further if its demand was not met.