Defamation Case: JNI and CAN Urge Restraint as El-Rufai Seeks N10 Billion from Musa
Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.
At a glance
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In the courts
- Former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s lawyers demanded N10 billion and a public apology from Defence Minister Christopher Musa over alleged defamatory comments.
- The dispute followed Musa’s appearance on Channels Television, where he allegedly accused El-Rufai of planning killings, paying bandits and ordering demolitions.
- Jama’atu Nasril Islam and the Christian Association of Nigeria urged peace and restraint during a joint meeting in Kafanchan.
Muslim and Christian leaders in Southern Kaduna have appealed for calm as a legal dispute escalates between former governor Nasir El-Rufai and Defence Minister Christopher Musa.
The leaders, speaking through Jama’atu Nasril Islam and the Christian Association of Nigeria, called for peace, restraint and mutual understanding at a joint meeting in Kafanchan. Their appeal followed Musa’s remarks about insecurity in Kaduna State during a September 3 appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
We can never be happy with somebody who has deliberately planned for the killing of our people.
El-Rufai’s lawyers sent Musa a letter before action dated September 7, demanding N10 billion in compensation and a public apology. The letter, issued by the Chambers of Ubong Akpan and addressed to Musa at the Federal Ministry of Defence in Abuja, was posted by Bello El-Rufai, one of the former governor’s sons and a member of the House of Representatives.
He told us he paid bandits.
The lawyers cited remarks in which Musa allegedly said, “We can never be happy with somebody who has deliberately planned for the killing of our people.” They also quoted him as saying of El-Rufai, “He told us he paid bandits,” and, “The next thing he sends a bulldozer to bulldoze your house down. He’s done it.”
El-Rufai’s lawyers called the statements false and defamatory. They said the remarks portrayed their client as someone who planned killings, sponsored banditry, victimized opponents through demolitions and divided Kaduna along ethnic and religious lines. They demanded a prominent, unconditional and unambiguous retraction, correction and apology on Politics Today, with equal or greater prominence than the original remarks. They also sought publication in two national newspapers, one mainly circulating in Northern Nigeria and the other in Southern Nigeria.
The next thing he sends a bulldozer to bulldoze your house down. He’s done it.
The lawyers stressed that the N10 billion demand was compensation sought in settlement, not damages already awarded by a court. They also said El-Rufai had never been involved in deliberately planning killings in Southern Kaduna and that no evidence had been produced to establish the allegation.
Our client’s instruction is to demand the sum of N10,000,000,000.00 (Ten Billion Naira) as compensation for the injury to his reputation and the distress and inconvenience occasioned.
About this summary
Originally published by The Punch in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.
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