Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, has thrown his weight behind the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, amid criticism of the minister over his recent comments concerning former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai.
Lawal, in a statement issued on Saturday, said he had deliberately stayed away from the controversy but was compelled to respond after reading what he described as “fatuous articles” attacking the Defence Minister.
According to the former SGF, many of the criticisms were coming from the Arewa Consultative Forum and similar platforms, which he said were largely populated by Northerners who identify with the “Arewa” persuasion.
Lawal acknowledged that supporters of El-Rufai had the right to defend the former governor, particularly those who identified with him on ethnic, religious or regional grounds.
He, however, argued that such support could not erase the experiences of communities in Southern Kaduna during El-Rufai’s eight-year tenure as governor.
“Whatever Nasiru’s defenders might say in his defence, I concede their right to do so being his Fulani/Moslem/‘Arewa’ compatriots and also probably, some beneficiaries of his ignoble actions against the Southern Kaduna ethnic nationalities,” Lawal said.
The former SGF said El-Rufai’s record was viewed differently by people from the affected communities, who, according to him, regarded the former governor in extremely negative terms.
“To them, and by extension us (all Northern ethnic Nationalities and Christians), Nasiru El-Rufai was what Adolf Hitler was to the Jews; no more no less,” he said.
Lawal also praised the current Kaduna State governor for what he described as efforts to address some of the challenges in the state. He noted that the incumbent governor is also a Fulani Muslim but described him as being “of a merciful type.”
The former SGF subsequently warned supporters of El-Rufai against what he described as attempts to “lynch” General Musa over his comments.
He described the Defence Minister as “one of the best of ours”, a “brilliant patriot” and a highly regarded military officer who served his tenure with distinction.
“So we will resist any attempt by Nasiru’s compatriots to lynch one of the best of ours in the person of Gen Musa, a brilliant patriot and a highly regarded military officer who served out his tenure with distinction,” Lawal said.
Rather than concentrating on the Defence Minister, Lawal urged El-Rufai’s supporters to direct their attention towards the broader challenges confronting northern Nigeria.
He called on them to scrutinise allegations and controversies involving some traditional rulers, senior clerics, federal ministers and senators from the region, particularly claims of collaboration with bandits and kidnappers.
“We advise that these so-called Nasiru defenders focus their attention on their Traditional Rulers, Senior Clergy, Federal Ministers and Senators from among their own who are currently mirred in controversies and allegations of being collaborators of bandits and kidnappers that are ravaging the ‘Arewa’ of their dreams,” he said.
Lawal further raised concerns over the large number of children who remain out of school across northern Nigeria.
He warned that the vulnerability of these children could expose them to recruitment by insurgent and bandit groups.
“We advise that they focus the millions of their out-of-school children roaming the streets with pans in their hands and who are easy pool for recruitment into insurgency and banditry groups,” Lawal said.
He maintained that the region’s internal problems deserved greater attention than the ongoing controversy involving General Musa.
“But they should leave Gen Musa out of the predicaments of their own making,” the former SGF added.
