A former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, has accused critics of Defence Minister Christopher Musa of twisting the minister’s comments on former Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufai.
Lawal said the criticism of Musa was an attempt to create ethnic and religious tension over the minister’s remarks on insecurity in Kaduna State.
Musa, during a Channels Television programme, had alleged that the el-Rufai administration contributed to the killings in Southern Kaduna. He also claimed that some people who attended peace meetings with the authorities later became targets of attacks.
Lawal urged those challenging Musa’s comments to focus on the security problems facing Kaduna and the wider northern region.
He also raised concerns about the number of out-of-school children in the North, saying they could become vulnerable to recruitment by insurgents and bandits.
An All Progressives Congress chieftain, Khamis Darazo, also defended Musa, saying grievances against the el-Rufai administration were not limited to Southern Kaduna.
Darazo said people across Kaduna State had expressed concerns about the former governor’s style of governance.
“The grievances surrounding el-Rufai’s style of governance were felt across Kaduna and not exclusively by the people of Southern Kaduna,” he said.
Similarly, the Senior Special Adviser to the Kaduna State Governor on Public Affairs, Victor Bobai, said it was unfair to describe Musa’s remarks as a personal or political attack on el-Rufai.
Bobai urged those who disagreed with the minister to respond to the issues raised with facts and evidence.
Lawal, in a Facebook post, warned against what he described as attempts by el-Rufai’s supporters to attack Musa.
He described the minister as a “brilliant patriot” and a highly regarded military officer who served with distinction.
Lawal also criticised some northern leaders and accused them of facing controversies and allegations linked to banditry and kidnapping. The claims were not substantiated in his statement.
The controversy comes amid continuing debate over the causes of insecurity in Kaduna State and the political handling of the issue.