Bashir El-Rufai, son of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, has issued an apology after facing backlash over a controversial tweet about the ongoing violence in Southern Kaduna.
In a now-deleted post, Bashir suggested that violence in the region would persist if residents continued to attack Fulani herdsmen. His statement was met with widespread criticism, with many interpreting it as an endorsement of hostilities.
The tweet was a response to an X (formerly Twitter) user, @qykali, who had accused Bashir’s father of enabling ethnic violence in Southern Kaduna during his time as governor. The user had also criticized Bashir for referring to President Bola Tinubu as “Pablo.”
In his initial response, Bashir wrote: “It is your stupid mother that is an elephant. And Southern Kaduna residents will keep seeing sheghe (trouble or suffering) if they continue to attack indigenous Fulani herdsmen. Oloshi.”
Following the public outcry, Bashir deleted the tweet and issued an apology, admitting that his remarks were poorly worded and insensitive. He stated:
“My tweet about Southern Kaduna residents and persecuted Fulani herdsmen was in bad taste and badly written in an attempt to make a point in the heat of the moment. I apologize for that to those who know me and understand that I do not harbor such sentiments.”
The controversy has reignited discussions about the ongoing crisis in Southern Kaduna, emphasizing the need for careful and responsible communication, especially from public figures.
