Southern Kaduna Sues El Rufai For Human Rights Violation, Demands N2b

By Akinwale Kasali

Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai has been sued by the Elders of Southern Kaduna for alleged Human Rights violations.

El-Rufai was alleged to have detained, brutalized and unjustly arrested the Southern Kaduna Elders, before they were released in 2019.

The Southern Kaduna Elders, under the auspices of Adara Development Association, ADA, has approached the Federal High Court, Kaduna, demanding a compensation of ₦2.3 billion from El-Rufai.

Aweni Dio Maisamari, a former Chairman of ADA, and the other claimants are demanding N2.3 billion in damages, ranging from arbitrary arrest, general exemplary damages and special damages, given the quantum of rights that were violated.

Justice Hauwa’u Buhari who presided over the case adjourned iy to give room for proper service to the respondents, in line with order 5 rule 7 of the Fundamental Human Rights Acts.

Counsel to the Plaintiffs, Gloria Ballason, said that her clients were unjustly imprisoned by the immediate past administration of the state for more than yhree months in 2019 and later released because nothing was found against them.

“We are here for a case of unjust imprisonment of the Adara Elders. They were imprisoned in 2019 and they came to Court to seek the enforcement of their fundamental rights.

“Their Chief, Rafael Maiwada Galadima was killed in very questionable and curious circumstances about the same time this arrest occurred under the administration of Mallam Nasiru Elrufai.

“It so happened that my client standing here with me -Mr. Aweni Dio Maisamari – had shown up at a meeting and wanted to enquire but was bundled up and taken to prison including 8 others. After more than 3 months, the court found nothing against them and the case was dismissed.

“The Nasiru Elrufai administration was well known to be that of a cocktail of rights violations including killings to wrongful imprisonments to attacks,” Ballason said.