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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 trial of Udeme Otike-Odibi, a former Lagos banker and lawyer convicted of killing and mutilating her husband, Symphorosa Otike-Odibi, remains one of the most disturbing murder cases to come before the Lagos State High Court.

Otike-Odibi was convicted in 2023 of murdering her husband and mutilating his corpse. The court subsequently sentenced her to death by hanging for the murder and imposed a five-year prison term for misconduct involving a corpse.

The case dates back to May 3, 2018, when Symphorosa was found dead at the couple’s home in Diamond Estate, Ajah, Lagos, following a violent domestic confrontation.

The night of the murder

The prosecution’s case was that a disagreement between the couple, reportedly linked to allegations of infidelity and marital problems, escalated into violence.

According to evidence presented in court, Otike-Odibi first struck her husband with a frying pan before stabbing him in the abdomen with a kitchen knife.

The prosecution maintained that the attack was not a spontaneous crime of passion but a deliberate act.

Shortly after midnight on May 3, Otike-Odibi reportedly sent a troubling text message to her friend, Maureen Offor. The message raised concerns about her state of mind, prompting her friend to respond and remind her of plans they had discussed, including travelling to the United Kingdom and prioritising her health.

By about 2am, Symphorosa’s sister, Dr Anwuli Akwukwuma, became concerned after being unable to reach him. She contacted a neighbour, Stanley Grange-Koko, to check on the couple.

When family members and neighbours eventually gained access to the residence, Symphorosa was found dead on the marital bed.

The prosecution told the court that his abdomen had been cut open and his genitals severed and placed in his hand.

Medical evidence

The prosecution relied heavily on forensic and medical evidence to establish how Symphorosa died.

Pathologist Dr John Soyemi testified that the deceased suffered massive internal blood loss estimated at about 3.5 litres. According to his evidence, the fatal injuries were caused by damage to blood vessels in the mesentery, the tissue supporting the intestines, after a deep knife wound to the abdomen.

The defence also argued that Otike-Odibi had attempted to take her own life after killing her husband.

However, Dr Booyemi Oyeneyin, who treated her at Safeway Hospital on the morning of the incident, testified that the six wounds found on her abdomen were superficial.

The doctor said the injuries did not penetrate her internal organs and were consistent with what he described as hesitation-type wounds.

The prosecution used the medical evidence to challenge the claim that Otike-Odibi had been involved in a mutual attack or had genuinely attempted suicide.

Defence challenges confession

Otike-Odibi’s defence team, led by Oluseye Banjoko, challenged the admissibility of statements she made to detectives at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti.

The defence argued that the statements should be rejected because they were not video-recorded and were not made in the presence of a lawyer, citing provisions of the Lagos State Administration of Criminal Justice Law and the 1999 Constitution.

The prosecution countered that the statements were voluntary and that their admissibility should be determined under the applicable provisions of the Evidence Act.

In a ruling delivered on April 11, 2019, Justice Adedayo Akintoye rejected the defence’s objection and admitted the statements as evidence.

The court held that the absence of a video recording or legal representation did not automatically render a voluntary statement inadmissible.

Mental-health argument rejected

The defence also sought to establish that Otike-Odibi was not in a sound mental state when the incident occurred.

But the prosecution’s forensic evidence, witness testimony and circumstances surrounding the killing were relied upon to establish that she understood her actions.