Minister of Defence Christopher Musa has claimed that residents of Southern Kaduna remain deeply traumatised by killings recorded in the region during the administration of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, Musa alleged that the former governor’s administration deliberately created divisions in Kaduna and went as far as planning the killing of people in Southern Kaduna.
Musa described the atmosphere in Kaduna under El-Rufai as “toxic”, claiming that the state became so divided that residents from one part of the state struggled to live freely in another.
“We know how it was when El-Rufai was there; it was toxic,” the minister said.
He credited incumbent Governor Uba Sani with making efforts to reverse some of the divisions and restore confidence among communities.
According to Musa, the situation has improved significantly, although he admitted that the reconciliation process has not completely resolved all tensions.
The minister was particularly critical when asked about the attitude of Southern Kaduna residents towards El-Rufai.
He said the issue went beyond ordinary political dissatisfaction because, in his view, residents were still dealing with the consequences of violence allegedly linked to the former administration.
“I think if there’s anything worse than unhappy, we can never be happy with somebody who has deliberately planned for the killing of our people,” Musa said.
Musa also alleged that El-Rufai had publicly discussed actions taken by his administration, including claims that money was paid to bandits.
“He told us he paid bandits. He told us he did this, he did that. He didn’t hide it,” the minister alleged.
According to Musa, the difference between the security situation in Southern Kaduna during the former governor’s tenure and the current situation was significant.
He maintained that the people of the region had not forgotten the killings and remained affected by the events.
Beyond security concerns, Musa also accused El-Rufai of implementing policies that allegedly denied opportunities to some residents, including people from the former governor’s own area.
The Defence Minister used the discussion to call for a different approach to Nigerian politics, warning against leaders who seek to exploit ethnic or religious identities.
He said politicians should focus on bringing communities together instead of using religion, tribe or other differences to deepen divisions.
“We should get politicians that want to unite Nigeria,” Musa said.
His comments add to the political debate surrounding the former Kaduna governor’s record in office and the security and communal tensions that affected parts of the state during his tenure.
The allegations against El-Rufai were made by Musa during the television interview and have not been independently verified from the material supplied. A response from the former governor was not contained in the report.
