He Did Terrible Things In Kaduna — Musa Accuses El-Rufai Of Dividing Kaduna

Minister of Defence Christopher Musa has accused former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai of actions he said deepened divisions in the state during his tenure.

Musa made the allegations during a Channels Television interview on Thursday, saying El-Rufai’s administration created conditions that affected freedom of movement between northern and southern Kaduna.

“El-Rufai did a lot of terrible things in Kaduna State. He divided the state into two,” Musa said, alleging that people from southern Kaduna could not freely move north to live, while some residents moved south.

The defence minister, however, praised incumbent Governor Uba Sani for what he described as deliberate efforts to rebuild unity across the state. Musa said the situation had improved considerably, although he acknowledged that reconciliation was not yet complete.

According to him, residents now have greater freedom to live and participate across the state, describing the changes as a “breath of fresh air.”

Musa also alleged that people in southern Kaduna remained unhappy with El-Rufai over killings and insecurity recorded during his administration. He claimed the former governor had publicly spoken about paying bandits and other measures taken to address insecurity.

The minister described El-Rufai as “misguided” rather than an enemy, while arguing that the scale of killings in southern Kaduna during the former governor’s tenure was significantly greater than what is being experienced under the current administration.

Musa further accused El-Rufai of using government authority to demolish the properties of residents following personal disagreements.

The defence minister stressed that his criticism was not motivated by his origin in Kaduna State but by his concern as a Nigerian about the country’s unity.

He called for political leaders who would promote national cohesion instead of exploiting religious and ethnic differences.

Musa said Nigeria needed politicians focused on issues that unite citizens and strengthen development.

The comments come amid renewed political debate over governance, security and leadership ahead of the 2027 elections. El-Rufai, who governed Kaduna from 2015 to 2023, has remained an influential figure in Nigeria’s political discussions.

Musa’s remarks are likely to intensify scrutiny of El-Rufai’s record amid continuing debates about security, communal relations and governance in Kaduna State.