By Chris Udochukwu
Human Rights Activist, Senator Shehu Sani has applauded the 10th Senate for refusal to clear the immediate past governor of Kaduna state, Nasir El-Rufai as ministerial nominee, stressing that a religious extremist with a fanatical political agenda should have no place in the seat of power if that nation desires peace.
Precise Post recalls that the Senate had on Monday refused to clear El-Rufai and two other citing security matters.
Further recall that Kaduna State witnessed incessant but senseless religious killings during his eight years reign and governor of the state.
Shehu Sani who described El-Rufai as being intoxicated with power and arrogantly played played God noted that he (El-Rufai) is now at the mercy of those wielding power.
The Federal lawmaker who represented Kaduna Central senatorial district in the 8th National Assembly stated this when he took to his twitter handle @ShehuSani while reacting to the news of Senate’s rejection of El-Rufai’s nomination said:
“The Unconfirmed Ministerial nominee; The Imp who was intoxicated with power, and who arrogantly played God is now at the mercy of those wielding power. A religious extremist with a fanatical political agenda should have no place in the seat of power if that nation desires peace.”
In one of the numerous instances of the attacks in the state during the administration of the governor was a Sunday night attack on Malagum and Sokwong Communities in the Kaura Local Government Area of the state, which left no fewer than 28 people dead and several others injured.
After the attack, the state Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, who conveyed the state government condolence message to the people of Malagum and Sokwong Communities, said the development saddened the state.
The commissioner, who claimed several citizens were killed in the attack and houses razed, quoted the governor to have expressed sadness on receiving the reports. He, however, did not give the exact casualty figures in the attack.
Also, in one of its article dated March 2. 2020 titled; “Kaduna Killings: El-Rufai apologises for govt’s failure to protect victims, Premium Times reported that Governor Nasir El-Rufai apologised to the people of Kaduna State over the attacks in three local government areas of the state in which scores of people were killed.
PREMIUM TIMES reported how over 50 people were reported killed during attacks by bandits on six villages in Giwa, Birnin Gwari, and Igabi local government areas of the state on Sunday.
Mr El-Rufai, on a visit to the affected villages, admitted that governments ‘best’ has not been enough in protecting citizens.
“As those that have been placed in a position of leadership, the responsibility for protecting these people rests squarely on my shoulders and those of my colleagues. I also came to apologise for my failure to fully protect them.
“We are doing the best we can and we are hoping that this banditry will end soon because the security agencies are taking the war to the bandits. But as they close one area, they attack in another area. It is a vast territory and it is difficult to cover, but we are doing our best to minimise such incidents. You should continue to forgive us,” Mr El-Rufai told journalists and residents at one of the scenes of the attacks.
Similarly, the Punch in its publication on 9th December 2016, titled “El-Rufai and Kaduna killings” written by Dr. Peregrino Brimah said:
“Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, made a startling revelation last week. The governor publicly admitted that he sent emissaries to give money from Nigeria’s treasury to Fulani herdsmen who had taken to brazen and brutal terror, mass killing mostly Christian communities in Southern Kaduna in retaliation for alleged deaths of their members and cows.
The governor said, “So many of these people were killed, cattle lost and they organised themselves and came back to revenge. …There are one or two that asked for monetary compensation. They said they have forgiven the death of human beings, but want compensation for cattle. We said no problem, and we paid some.”
el-Rufai admitted to knowing these terrorists involved in wanton acts of incendiarism and murder with the resulting loss of property worth billions and lives of innocent Nigerians.
Nigeria’s anti-terror bill as amended is implicit in the implication of aiding and abetting and concealing terror and terrorists and the bill declares arrest of such persons and recommends life imprisonment or the death penalty for those who act in aid of terrorists.
The Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2011 and Amendment Bill of 2012 with amendments to Section 17 states:
“Any person who does, attempts to do, threatens to do, promotes, assist or facilitates terrorism in any way or manner, or participates in terrorism financing, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to life imprisonment or to a fine of not less than N150m or to both the term of imprisonment and the fine.
“Arranging and supporting terrorist meetings, harbouring terrorists, obstructing terrorist investigations, being declared an international terrorist group or individual or failing to report terrorist financial transactions are offences which on conviction carry terms of imprisonment of not less than three years and not more than 20 years.”
Governor el-Rufai by self-admission is guilty of the above violations of Nigeria’s anti-terror act.
Possibly fearing that he will be exposed for having been in touch with the terrorists and giving them money, the governor made an after-the-event public announcement of his sinister actions.
It must be stated clearly that according to Nigeria’s constitution and anti-terror bill, an amnesty for terrorism can only be declared by the Federal Government and must be approved by the National Assembly.
Nigeria’s anti-terror bill, “Terrorism Prevention Act of 2011 as amended in 2013, Part 1, subsection” clearly states that “(2) without prejudice to sub-section (2) of this section, where death results from any terrorist act, the penalty shall be death sentence.”
No Nigerian, civilian or state administrator can singularly forgive and pay off terrorists without Assembly approval.
We therefore call for the immediate declaration of a state of emergency in Kaduna and the arrest and prosecution of the Kaduna state administrator and all those implicated in this act above and in violation of Nigeria’s security.
