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Lawyers representing former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, have demanded ₦10 billion in damages from Defence Minister, General Christopher Musa (retd.), over alleged defamatory statements made against their client.

The demand was contained in a letter before action dated September 7, 2026, and addressed to Musa at the Federal Ministry of Defence in Abuja.

The legal threat followed the minister’s appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on September 3, where he discussed insecurity in Kaduna State and made allegations involving the former governor.

According to El-Rufai’s lawyers, Musa accused the former governor of deliberately planning the killing of people in Southern Kaduna and paying bandits.

The lawyers further alleged that the minister claimed El-Rufai ordered the demolition of houses as a means of victimising political opponents.

El-Rufai’s legal team, Akpan Ubong Chambers, rejected the allegations as false, describing them as defamatory and damaging to their client’s reputation.

They argued that the statements portrayed the former governor as a murderer, criminal and sponsor of banditry.

The lawyers demanded that Musa publicly retract the allegations, apologise to El-Rufai and pay ₦10 billion in damages.

They also specifically denied the allegation that El-Rufai paid bandits, insisting that the former governor had consistently maintained that he would neither negotiate with nor financially support bandits.

On the controversial demolitions carried out during El-Rufai’s tenure, the lawyers said the exercises were conducted in accordance with the law and in pursuit of legitimate public purposes.

They also rejected claims that the former governor’s administration deliberately divided Kaduna State along ethnic or religious lines, insisting that his government pursued policies aimed at promoting unity and development.

The legal team maintained that the allegations against El-Rufai had not been established before any court of competent jurisdiction and challenged Musa to provide evidence to substantiate them.

Family Issues Separate Seven-Day Ultimatum

The latest legal demand comes amid a separate challenge issued by El-Rufai’s family over the same allegation.

In a statement issued Monday and signed by Honourable Mohammed Bello El-Rufai on behalf of the family, the claim that the former governor planned killings in Southern Kaduna was described as “grave” and unsupported by evidence.

The family acknowledged Musa’s right to express his views but insisted that such a serious allegation must be backed by credible evidence.

It gave the minister seven days to either produce evidence supporting the allegation or issue a full public retraction and apology through the same medium in which the claim was made.

The family warned that failure to comply would leave it with no option but to pursue available legal remedies.

The development has now escalated the dispute between the former governor’s camp and the Defence Minister, with El-Rufai’s lawyers seeking financial damages while his family separately presses for evidence, retraction and an apology.

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A newborn baby has reportedly died just days after birth following an alleged dispute between the child’s parents over a “push gift” promised to the mother.

According to reports circulating online, the mother allegedly refused to breastfeed or adequately feed the baby after her husband failed to buy her a car as a gift following the delivery.

The newborn was reportedly left without sufficient nourishment as the disagreement between the couple continued.

Tragically, the baby is said to have died only days after birth.

The disturbing allegation has triggered outrage online, with many questioning how a dispute over a material gift could allegedly escalate to a situation with such devastating consequences for a newborn.

However, details surrounding the reported death remain unclear, and the allegation has not been independently verified. It is also not yet clear whether authorities or medical professionals have confirmed the cause of death.

The report has nevertheless renewed concerns about the vulnerability of newborns and the critical importance of ensuring that babies receive adequate feeding and medical attention, particularly in the first days of life.

It has also sparked wider conversations about postpartum support, communication between couples and the need to prioritise a newborn’s health and safety during periods of marital disagreement.

As questions continue to surround the circumstances of the reported death, calls are growing for the facts to be established and any claims of neglect to be properly investigated.

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The Federal Government is considering the termination of its concession agreement with the Benin-Asaba Expressway Concession Company Limited (BAECC) over alleged breaches of key provisions of the contract.

The Federal Ministry of Works said the concessionaire’s alleged failure to meet critical obligations under the agreement had contributed to the worsening condition of the 125-kilometre Benin-Asaba Expressway and increased hardship for motorists.

The Federal Controller of Works in Edo State, Engr. Babatunde Tajudeen, disclosed this during a press briefing on the controversial concession, saying the ministry was exploring measures to restore the highway while efforts to resolve the dispute continue.

The highway, which runs from the Ring Road Roundabout in Benin City to Summit Junction in Asaba, Delta State, is a major transport corridor connecting the South-South, South-East and parts of the South-West.

The road was concessioned to BAECC under the Federal Government’s Highway Development and Management Initiative (HDMI), a public-private partnership framework designed to attract private investment and technical expertise into the rehabilitation and management of federal highways.

The Federal Executive Council approved the concession on January 16, 2023, under a 25-year Design, Finance, Build, Operate and Transfer arrangement, including a three-year construction period. The concession agreement was signed on May 23, 2023.

Tajudeen said the Works Minister, David Umahi, raised concerns over the concessionaire’s performance during an inspection of the project with Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo on August 25, 2026.

According to him, the inspection revealed several alleged violations, including the removal of stable asphalt surfaces, engagement of personnel considered unqualified for the project, inadequate capacity to execute the works, slow progress, substandard construction and ineffective traffic management.

He said the situation had repeatedly triggered severe traffic congestion along the corridor.

“Everybody knows there is a dispute in the course of the execution of the contract. They peeled off our asphalt, exposing the subgrade foundation to excessive rainwater. By so doing, the subgrade material has become oversaturated,” Tajudeen said.

The Federal Controller said the ministry had proposed a mutual termination of the concession, citing concerns that the continued execution of the project under the existing arrangement could further worsen the condition of the highway.

He added that there were also concerns that the concessionaire might be unable to complete the project within the approved Bill of Engineering Measurement and Evaluation.

As an immediate measure, the ministry has asked BAECC to reinstate the asphalt removed from sections of the highway and permit technically competent contractors engaged by the Federal Ministry of Works to intervene while the concession dispute is being resolved.

Tajudeen assured motorists that the ministry was working to find a lawful and sustainable solution to the crisis.

He appealed to road users to remain patient, saying the government was determined to restore the highway and reduce the hardship caused by the deteriorating sections and recurring traffic gridlock.