By Abu Yunus
A civil society coalition, Kaduna Voices United, has announced plans to stage mass protests across Kaduna State, demanding the continued detention of former governor, Nasir El-Rufai, and a wider probe into his administration over alleged human rights violations.
The group said the demonstrations would hold simultaneously in major towns and climax with a central rally in Kaduna.
In a statement signed by its Coordinator, Nura Basiru, the coalition accused El-Rufai’s administration of years of suppression of dissent, extrajudicial killings and disregard for judicial authority.
It declared the formation of what it described as a “powerful citizens’ front” to pursue justice for victims of alleged abuses recorded during the former governor’s tenure.
“The purpose of these protests is to demand the continued detention of former Governor Nasir El-Rufai and to advocate for the extension of ongoing investigations into his legacy,” Basiru said.
He alleged that the ex-governor’s tenure was marred by state-sanctioned violence, citing the December 2015 clash in Zaria between government forces and members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, led by Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky.
According to him, the incident, widely referred to as the Zaria Shiite crisis, led to the death of hundreds of members of the group.
Basiru claimed that the International Human Rights Commission had in 2016 faulted the military’s use of force, while Human Rights Watch in 2019 condemned alleged crackdowns on peaceful protesters in the state.
He further alleged that security agencies, including the Department of State Services, were deployed to intimidate activists during the period.
The group also raised concerns over the disappearance of Kaduna-based activist, Abubakar Idris, popularly known as Dadiyata, who has been missing since August 2019.
Describing the case as “haunting”, the coalition said the failure to unravel his whereabouts reflected a culture of impunity and enforced disappearances.
Kaduna Voices United insisted that its campaign was not driven by vengeance but by the need to entrench accountability and safeguard citizens’ rights.
It called on residents, civil society organisations and human rights advocates to participate peacefully in the planned protests.
“The continued detention of Nasir El-Rufai is necessary not for vengeance, but as a clear message that human rights violations will not be tolerated,” the statement added.
The group maintained that confronting alleged past abuses remained critical to preventing a repeat and strengthening democratic governance in the state.
