El-Rufai Under Scrutiny: Pressure Mounts for Independent Probe into Controversial Tenure!

The Citizens Support for Good Governance (CSGG) has officially called for a comprehensive, independent, and impartial inquiry into the various allegations and unresolved issues that emerged during the administration of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, from 2015 to 2023. This significant demand was articulated in a statement by Hon. Victor Mathew Bobai, the group's director of media and public communications, underscoring the necessity for a transparent and evidence-based investigation.

The proposed inquiry is intended to cover a wide array of serious allegations, including those related to killings, prevailing insecurity, critical human rights concerns, financial matters, and other controversies that marked the eight-year tenure. The CSGG highlighted that a renewed public focus on these allegations necessitates a thorough examination of the facts by relevant Nigerian institutions. The core purpose of such an investigation, as stressed by the group, is to establish the unvarnished truth, safeguard the rights of all victims, and ensure absolute fairness to every individual and institution implicated in wrongdoing.

Specifically regarding security, the CSGG urged an in-depth examination of the killings and violent attacks that plagued Kaduna State throughout the specified period. This would entail scrutinizing the circumstances surrounding these tragic incidents, accurately documenting the number of lives lost and people displaced, analyzing the security responses, and reviewing the subsequent arrests, investigations, prosecutions, and convictions. Furthermore, the organization emphasized that the 2015 Zaria crisis, which involved the Nigerian Army and members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), must be an integral component of any comprehensive inquiry.

The group also called for an investigation into persistent allegations of communities suffering repeated attacks without adequate protection. This includes claims of failures to act on intelligence or early warnings, instances of delayed security responses, and the alleged failure to apprehend and prosecute perpetrators. While advocating for accountability, the CSGG issued a crucial caution: any inquiry must not be designed to unfairly target only the former governor. Instead, it must also thoroughly examine the roles and responsibilities of all relevant institutions constitutionally mandated with security. The group asserted, "No inquiry should unfairly isolate one individual while ignoring the roles and responsibilities of institutions constitutionally responsible for security."

On the front of human rights, the CSGG implored the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and other competent institutions to delve into credible allegations of unlawful killings, enforced disappearances, unlawful detention, the treatment of detainees, and forced displacement, particularly where existing evidence or official records can substantiate such claims. Concerning financial probity, the group acknowledged the Kaduna State House of Assembly’s ad-hoc committee's examination of issues related to loans, contracts, grants, and project implementation from 2015 to 2023. They underscored that "An allegation by a legislative committee is not a criminal conviction. Every allegation must be tested according to the law, and every accused person is entitled to fair hearing."

Similarly, the CSGG insisted that any corruption-related allegations stemming from the former administration should be rigorously handled by appropriate investigative agencies and the judiciary, strictly adhering to the presumption of innocence. The organization concluded by affirming that justice for victims and fairness for the accused are not conflicting principles. Establishing the truth, they argued, is an indispensable prerequisite for achieving genuine justice, fostering reconciliation, ensuring accountability, and ultimately securing lasting peace within Kaduna State.