…Says, no more silence
A coalition of representatives of victims, survivors and families that went through harrowing experiences of terror, fear, and severe hardship under the reign of Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai as governor of Kaduna State between 2015 and 2023, have demanded for accountability.
Members of the coalition that included citizens from all walks of life, community and business leaders, serving and retired public servants, traditional rulers, faith leaders, academics, journalists, lawyers, and other professionals expressed serious concern over recent attempts to reframe history by portraying Nasir el-Rufai as a champion of due process and human rights, while survivors and families continue to seek truth and justice.
A statement signed on behalf of the coalition of survivors, victims’ families, and concerned citizens by Professor Chidi Anselm Odinkalu, Audu Maikori, Esq,
Gloria Ballason, Esq, Steven Kefas,Luka Binniyat, Midat Joseph, Segun Onibiyo, House of Justice, Community Development & Rights Advocacy Foundation, Resilient Aid and Dialogue Initiative, Southern Kaduna Indigenously, Progressive Forum (SKIPFo) and Atrocities Watch Africa, AWA, stressed that their sole demand is accountability under the rule of law: thorough, independent investigations; prosecutions where evidence warrants; and closure for traumatized victims and families.
The coalition insisted that by pursuing justice, they aim to prevent future suffering and uphold the dignity of all Nigerians.
They particularly noted the acts perpetrated by El-Rufai when he served as governor as those that bypassed constitutional safeguards and Nigerian law, emphasising that he turned gubernatorial immunity into unchecked impunity.
The coalition catalogued the atrocities to include the many victims in high-profile cases that symbolize the era’s impunity.
The statements further said; “HRH Dr. Maiwada Raphael Galadima, the Agwam Adara (paramount ruler of the Adara Chiefdom), abducted in October 2018 and brutally murdered despite ransom payment.
“His killing occurred amid efforts to restructure traditional institutions, including the controversial conversion of the chiefdom into an emirate structure, deepening ethnic and communal tensions. Till date the suspects arrested for the murder of Agwam Adara are yet to be successfully prosecuted and their whereabouts can not be ascertained.
“Abubakar Idris (Dadiyata), a lecturer at the Federal University Dutsenma and social media commentator critical of governance issues, abducted from his residence in Barnawa, Kaduna, on August 2, 2019.
“He has remained missing, effectively disappeared for nearly seven years. August 2026 will mark the seventh anniversary of his abduction and trigger the statutory presumption of death under Nigerian law.
“Shortly after Dadiyata’s abduction, on December 23, 2019, at 10:16 hrs, Bashir el-Rufai, son of the then-Governor, posted a tweet widely perceived as gloating over the incident and dismissing calls for his safe return.
“During his tenure, Nasir el-Rufai presided over a pattern of indiscriminate actions: arbitrary abductions, persecution of critics, reprisal violence, unlawful demolitions of homes, mass dismissals of workers without due process, forced sackings by employers of perceived opponents, and the displacement of citizens into exile.
“We are deeply troubled by recent attempts to reframe this history, portraying Nasir El-Rufai as a champion of due process and human rights, while survivors and families continue to seek truth and justice.
Members of the coalition assured that they stand ready to cooperate fully with all relevant law enforcement agencies, judicial bodies, and human rights institutions in Nigeria, saying; “we will provide testimonies, evidence, and any material assistance to support inquiries and ensure those responsible for crimes face due process”.
The coalition said they have to voice on behalf of themselves, and in solemn memory of those killed or disappeared who cannot speak, stressing that they have a moral and civic duty to bear witness.
