Bashir El-Rufai, son of former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, has come under fire after posting a now-deleted tweet that many interpreted as a direct threat of continued violence against the Christian-majority Southern Kaduna region.
In a response to an X (formerly Twitter) user, @qykali, who accused his father of overseeing ethnic cleansing in Southern Kaduna during his tenure as governor, Bashir lashed out with a disturbing warning.
“It is your stupid mother that is an elephant. And Southern Kaduna residents will keep seeing shege if they continue to attack indigenous Fulani herdsmen. Oloshi,” he tweeted.
The Hausa term shege—which implies suffering or hardship—was widely seen as a direct threat, especially given the history of violent attacks by suspected Fulani herdsmen and bandits in the region.
Outrage as Nigerians Condemn the Threat
Bashir’s comment sparked immediate backlash on social media, with many users condemning the tweet as reckless and inflammatory.
An X user, @EmmyPromise71, questioned the silence of Nasir El-Rufai over his son’s remark, tweeting:
“Dear @BashirElRufai, are Southern Kaduna residents not dead enough? To even say that your father hasn’t come out to condemn this senseless comment of yours shows the kind of person he is. WHAT? Like really?”
Another user, @timmonsion, warned that Bashir’s statement should not be taken lightly, stating:
“If Bashir El Rufai can confidently say this about Southern Kaduna with his full chest, do you think your people down West or South will be safe from the Fulani herdsmen?”
Former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, also weighed in, calling the younger El-Rufai a “sociopath” and raising concerns about what such individuals would do if they gained power.
“So, get this: #VileLittleMan, @elrufai, is now officially opposition and his son is already threatening the people of #SouthernKaduna with #MassMurder. Guess what will happen when they get into the @NGRPresident. These people are sociopaths; #Genocidaires,” he tweeted.
A Pattern of Controversial Statements
This is not the first time Bashir El-Rufai has made controversial remarks. In 2019, amid the trending #WhereIsDadiyata campaign concerning the disappearance of Abubakar ‘Dadiyata’ Idris—a vocal critic of his father—Bashir mocked those demanding answers.
“The same clowns who encouraged him when he was creating false stories and capitalising on lies that could endanger lives solely for political ends are the same individuals trending hashtags asking #WhereisDadiyata. Dangerous lies in the public space have consequences,” he tweeted at the time.
His father, Nasir El-Rufai, has also been known for divisive comments, including his past admission that his government paid off bandits in order to stop attacks.
El-Rufai’s SDP Ambition and Rising Tensions
Bashir El-Rufai’s latest comment comes at a time when his father is making political moves, having recently defected to the Social Democratic Party (SDP). This has fueled concerns that elements within the new opposition bloc may carry forward the same controversial rhetoric that characterized the previous administration.
As Nigeria prepares for the 2027 elections, the increasing use of incendiary language by political figures and their associates is raising alarms over potential violence and instability.
For now, Bashir El-Rufai may have deleted his tweet, but the damage is already done—Southern Kaduna residents and Nigerians at large are demanding accountability for his reckless statement.