The growing rift between Bashir El-Rufai and his elder brother, Mohammed Bello El-Rufai, sons of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has taken another turn, with Bashir publicly threatening to “destroy” the lawmaker.
Bashir, who has been vocal on social media on political and national issues, made the latest comments on his X account on Saturday while attacking his elder brother, who represents Kaduna North Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.
The latest exchange has drawn fresh attention to the family dispute, which has played out publicly on social media in recent months.
In one of his posts, Bashir accused Bello of abusing drugs, although he did not provide evidence to support the allegation.
He later escalated the exchange by issuing a direct threat against his brother.
“I will destroy you & climb my bed and sleep peacefully,” Bashir wrote.
The statement immediately attracted reactions from social media users, with some expressing concern over the increasingly bitter nature of the disagreement between the two brothers.
A politician, Uche Rochas, responded to Bashir’s post, urging him to reconsider his words and avoid attacking his brother in such a manner.
Rochas warned that any attempt to destroy Bello would also damage Bashir and the reputation of the El-Rufai family.
“If you destroy your brother, no one will see you as a hero. The more you try to destroy him, the more you destroy yourself and drag your family’s name through the mud,” he wrote.
He also offered to speak with Bashir privately, saying, “If you need someone to talk to, I am here.”
Bashir, however, did not withdraw the threat. Instead, he replied, “Sorry sir. Had to be said.”
Another X user, Dr Ibrahim Yaji, also condemned Bashir’s statement and questioned his decision to publicly attack a member of his immediate family.
“I kept telling my friend earlier that the joke is on Bashir. I can never trust anybody who can do this to his own blood,” Yaji wrote.
He added, “Even if my sibling kills my child, I won’t destroy him like this. No, my parents didn’t bring us up this way.”
Bashir responded by dismissing Yaji’s position, saying, “That’s you o. And I’m sure you had a good brother.”
The latest exchange has renewed public interest in the disagreement involving the sons of the former governor, who served as Kaduna State governor between 2015 and 2023.
The exact cause of the dispute between Bashir and Bello remains unclear from the latest posts. However, their differences appear to have political dimensions, particularly over political developments and choices in Kaduna State.
Bello, the elder of the two brothers, entered elective politics after his father left office and won election to the House of Representatives, where he represents Kaduna North Federal Constituency.
His political activities and decisions have attracted attention, especially given the political influence of his father, who was a prominent figure in the All Progressives Congress before falling out with some members of the party and later moving closer to opposition forces.
Nasir El-Rufai governed Kaduna State for eight years and was succeeded by Governor Uba Sani in 2023.
The relationship between El-Rufai and Sani later deteriorated, with the former governor and his allies accusing the state government of targeting members of his administration. Sani’s government, however, has defended its actions, including investigations into the finances of the previous administration.
The political disagreements in Kaduna have also created divisions among politicians and supporters linked to the former governor.
Against this background, Bello’s political position and activities have continued to attract attention because of his family connection to the former governor.
Bashir, meanwhile, has remained active on X, where he frequently comments on political developments and other public issues. His posts have at times generated controversy, with his latest attacks on Bello bringing the family disagreement directly into the public space.
Public disputes among political families are not new in Nigeria, particularly where members hold different political views or support different political groups. However, the latest disagreement involving the El-Rufai brothers has attracted particular interest because of their father’s political profile and influence in Kaduna State.
Nasir El-Rufai was one of the most prominent governors of his generation and played important roles in national politics before and during his tenure as governor. He previously served as Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises and later as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory under former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
His family has therefore remained a subject of public interest, especially since his children have become increasingly active in public and political discussions.
The latest controversy also highlights the growing role of social media in political and family disputes. Statements that might once have remained private can now quickly reach thousands of people, generating reactions and further escalating disagreements.
In Bashir’s case, his threat against Bello was met with calls for restraint from several social media users. Rather than ending the dispute, however, his responses appeared to show that the disagreement remained unresolved.
There has been no indication from the latest exchange that either brother intends to withdraw from the dispute.
Bello has yet to publicly respond to the latest threat in the material available, while Bashir has continued to defend his position.
The development comes at a politically sensitive period, with preparations for the 2027 general elections already gathering momentum across Nigeria.
Kaduna State remains one of the key political states in the North, and the positions taken by politicians linked to the El-Rufai political camp could become significant as parties begin to organise for the next elections.
What began as a family and political disagreement has increasingly become a public confrontation, with social media users now drawn into the exchange.
Unless the brothers resolve their differences privately, further public clashes could continue to attract attention and potentially affect the image of the El-Rufai family, one of the most prominent political families in Kaduna State.