By The Daily Torch Media
The Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.), has accused former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, of deepening divisions in the state during his administration.
Musa also defended the ₦5.41 trillion allocated to defence and security in the 2026 budget, saying the huge allocation was necessary to address the country’s security challenges.
The minister spoke recently during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he discussed insecurity, the cost of military operations and the strategies being used to rescue abducted victims.
Musa alleged that the El-Rufai administration created divisions between northern and southern Kaduna, claiming that residents were restricted from freely living in some parts of the state.
“El-Rufai did a lot of terrible things in Kaduna State. He divided the state into two. In that, if you are from the south, you cannot go to the north to live. Those ones from the north were moving to the south,” Musa said.
He, however, credited the incumbent governor, Uba Sani, with making efforts to restore unity and freedom of movement across the state.
“I mean, you can’t imagine that in the country. The country that is supposed to be one. But Governor Uba Sani, within one year, has been able to dissolve all that,” the minister said.
Musa acknowledged that the situation was not yet perfect but said the governor had made deliberate efforts to unite the state.
“You see now, everybody is free. Everybody has a say. It’s not 100 per cent, let me tell you; it’s not 100 per cent. But you can see that he’s making deliberate effort in uniting the state,” he said.
The defence minister also alleged that El-Rufai’s administration handled the security challenges in Southern Kaduna poorly and claimed that the former governor had publicly acknowledged paying bandits.
“If you look at his videos, his speeches, he was very proud of what he did. He told us he paid bandits. He told us he did this; he did that. He didn’t hide it,” Musa alleged.
Musa said the level of killings in Kaduna under the previous administration could not be compared with the current situation, adding that security agencies now have greater room to operate.
“If you look at the number of killings that were done there and what is going on now, you can’t compare at all. And he didn’t give opportunities. We couldn’t do a lot of things. But now you could see that breath of fresh air,” he said.
The minister further accused El-Rufai of using his office to demolish the properties of some residents following personal disagreements.
“I can tell you people what he has done to people living in Kaduna State from his own area. He had just personal issues with friends. The next thing, he sends a bulldozer to bulldoze your house down. He’s done it. It’s there on the TV,” Musa alleged.
The former governor has faced criticism from various quarters over policies implemented during his tenure, while his administration has also defended its record on security, infrastructure and governance.
