Dare Babalola
A coalition of victims and civil society actors have called for a thorough investigation into alleged human rights abuses during Nasir El-Rufai’s tenure as Kaduna State Governor.
The Kaduna Victims’ Coalition, a group comprising survivors and families affected by policies and security incidents during El-Rufai’s 2015 to 2023 tenure, on Monday called for “full accountability under the rule of law”.
In a statement made available to newsmen on Monday, the coalition said its membership comprised community leaders, professionals, traditional rulers, faith leaders, journalists, lawyers, and civil servants who claimed to have suffered or witnessed hardship during the eight-year administration.
The statement was signed by former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Chidi Odinkalu; lawyers Audu Maikori and Gloria Ballason; Steven Kefas; Luka Binniyat; and several civil society organisations, including House of Justice and Atrocities Watch Africa.
One cited case was the 2018 abduction and killing of Agwam Adara Maiwada Galadima, who was kidnapped in October that year and killed despite ransom payment.
The coalition also highlighted Abubakar Idris (Dadiyata)’s case, a lecturer at Federal University Dutsin-Ma, abducted from his Kaduna home on August 2, 2019, and still missing.
The statement alleged a range of actions during El-Rufai’s tenure, including arbitrary arrests, persecution of critics, home demolitions, worker dismissals, and displacement of residents, though specifics weren’t provided for each claim.
The coalition expressed concern over what it described as attempts to “reframe” the former governor’s record, insisting that affected families had yet to receive justice or closure.
“It is not about political vendetta or media narratives,” the statement read. “It is about families who lost loved ones, livelihoods destroyed, and communities displaced. These wounds remain open because there has been no transparent process of accountability.”
The group added, “No democracy can thrive where allegations of abuse are swept aside. We believe independent investigations, free from political interference, are necessary to restore public confidence.”
According to the coalition, “Justice is not selective. Where there is no wrongdoing, investigations will clear the record. But where evidence establishes violations, the law must take its course.”
It further stated, “We owe it to the victims, and to future generations, to insist that governance is anchored on constitutional safeguards and respect for fundamental rights.
“Our sole demand is accountability under the rule of law, thorough and independent investigations, prosecutions where evidence warrants, and justice for victims and their families,” the statement concluded.
The group also pledged to cooperate with law enforcement agencies and judicial institutions should formal investigations be initiated.
