“No More Impunity, No More Silence”: Kaduna Victims’ Coalition Demands Probe of Alleged Abuses Under Nasir el-Rufai

A coalition of survivors and families in Kaduna State has called for independent investigations into alleged human rights abuses committed during the administration of Nasir el-Rufai.

In a statement issued Monday in Abuja and Kaduna, the group said it represents individuals and communities who suffered abductions, killings, demolitions, dismissals from employment and other forms of hardship between 2015 and 2023. The coalition includes community leaders, traditional rulers, academics, lawyers, journalists, civil servants and civil society organisations.

The statement highlights several cases it says illustrate a climate of impunity during the period.

One is the killing of Maiwada Raphael Galadima, the Agwam Adara, who was abducted in October 2018 and later murdered despite payment of ransom. The coalition said suspects were arrested but have not been successfully prosecuted, and their current status is unclear.

Another case cited is the disappearance of Abubakar Idris, also known as Dadiyata, a lecturer at the Federal University Dutsenma and social media commentator. He was taken from his home in Barnawa, Kaduna, on August 2, 2019, and has not been seen since. The coalition noted that August 2026 will mark seven years since his abduction.

The statement also referenced a social media post made in December 2019 by Bashir el-Rufai, son of the former governor, which critics at the time described as insensitive in the aftermath of Idris’s disappearance.

Beyond these cases, the coalition alleged a broader pattern of arbitrary arrests, persecution of critics, unlawful demolitions of property, mass dismissals of workers and forced displacement. It argued that constitutional protections were undermined and called for accountability through lawful processes.

The group expressed concern over what it described as attempts to recast the former governor’s record in positive terms without addressing unresolved grievances.

It is demanding thorough and independent investigations, prosecutions where evidence supports charges, and redress for affected families. The coalition said it is prepared to provide testimony and other evidence to law enforcement agencies, judicial authorities and human rights bodies.

The statement was signed by individuals and organisations including Chidi Anselm Odinkalu, Audu Maikori, Gloria Ballason, 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.