Defamation: JNI, CAN Seek Restraint as El-Rufai Sues Musa for ₦10bn

Religious leaders under the Jama’atu Nasril Islam and the Christian Association of Nigeria in Southern Kaduna have called for peace and restraint following a dispute between former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai and Defence Minister Christopher Musa.

The appeal came during a joint peace meeting in Kafanchan, Kaduna State, after El-Rufai threatened legal action against Musa over alleged defamatory statements concerning his tenure as governor.

El-Rufai’s lawyers have demanded ₦10 billion in compensation and a public apology from the Defence Minister over remarks he made during a television programme on September 3.

The lawyers accused Musa of making statements that portrayed El-Rufai as someone who deliberately planned killings, paid bandits, ordered demolitions against opponents and promoted ethnic and religious division in Kaduna State.

They described the allegations as false and defamatory and demanded an unconditional retraction and apology from Musa on the same programme where the statements were made.

The legal team also requested that the apology be published in two national newspapers, one with significant circulation in Northern Nigeria and another in Southern Nigeria.

El-Rufai’s lawyers maintained that their client had never been involved in deliberately planning killings in Southern Kaduna and had consistently rejected negotiations or payments to bandits.

They also defended demolitions carried out during his administration, saying they were conducted according to law and for public purposes.

The lawyers stressed that the allegations had not been established by any competent court and demanded that Musa provide evidence, documents and sources supporting his claims.

Musa was also asked to preserve recordings, transcripts and other materials connected to his television appearance and to provide information concerning the sources relied upon for the allegations.

The Defence Minister was given seven days to respond to the demands, with the lawyers warning that failure to comply could result in court proceedings seeking damages, injunctions and other reliefs.

Amid the dispute, Muslim and Christian leaders in Southern Kaduna urged both sides and their supporters to avoid actions capable of worsening tensions.

The Chairman of the Council of Imams, Southern Kaduna, Imam Muhammed Kabir Kasim, urged Nigerians to consider the context of Musa’s comments and avoid using social media to inflame disagreements.

He said Southern Kaduna had experienced enough challenges and should not allow disagreements involving public figures to reopen old wounds.

The intervention reflects growing concerns that the dispute could acquire ethnic or religious dimensions, with stakeholders urging parties to pursue legal and peaceful channels rather than public confrontation.

The matter now awaits Musa’s response to El-Rufai’s demands and any possible legal action that may follow if the seven-day deadline expires without a resolution.