Bashir El-Rufai, son of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, has apologized after a controversial post on X (formerly Twitter) sparked widespread backlash.
Bashir, known for his outspoken online persona, made a remark implying that the killings in Southern Kaduna would continue if residents kept attacking Fulani herdsmen.
> “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,”
He posted this in response to @qykali, an X user who accused his father of overseeing “industrial-scale ethnic cleansing” in Southern Kaduna during his tenure as governor.
The Hausa slang “sheghe” (shege), meaning severe suffering, was interpreted by many Nigerians as an endorsement of violence. His statement was widely condemned as an attempt to justify the recurring massacres in Southern Kaduna, where suspected herdsmen have frequently attacked communities.
Following the intense criticism, Bashir deleted the tweet and later issued an apology, acknowledging that his initial comment was inappropriate.
> “My tweet about Southern Kaduna residents & persecuted Fulani herdsmen was in bad taste & also badly written in an attempt to make a point in the heat of the moment. I apologize for that to those that know me and are aware that I don’t harbor such sentiments,” he wrote on X.
Despite his apology, many critics remained skeptical, accusing him of backtracking only because of public outrage.
> “You are true son of your father, Nigeria would have been disappointed if you do otherwise. Just hatred for certain religion. God will punish you,” X user Iyiola Babalola responded.
> “You are supposed to be in jail by now,” another user, Uncle Floyd, added.
Bashir’s latest controversy comes amid growing political speculation ahead of the 2027 elections.
Recently, he stirred discussions about the future of Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, hinting that Obi might join the Social Democratic Party (SDP) following his father’s defection from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Responding to an X user who suggested the SDP would struggle against the APC unless Obi joined, Bashir cryptically replied:
> “He is coming.”
This statement has fueled speculation about a possible Obi-SDP alliance, especially after Nasir El-Rufai’s departure from the APC.
Nasir El-Rufai, once a key APC figure, officially resigned from the party in a letter dated March 10, 2025, accusing it of abandoning its core values.
> “Developments in the last two years confirm that there is no desire on the part of those who currently control and run the APC to acknowledge, much less address, the unhealthy situation of the party,” he wrote.
