Emmanuel Onwubiko, the National Coordinator of the Human Rights Writers Association (HURIWA), said in an interview with Symfoni that former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, is facing consequences he deserves.
When asked if the EFCC was going too far with El-Rufai’s case and how he would rate President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government, Onwubiko said he does not think the EFCC is targeting people because of their ethnicity. He explained that the agency is trying its best, even though it has some shortcomings.
He also said that some of the EFCC’s actions are questionable. According to him, while major corruption cases—like those involving large sums of money in the power sector—are often not properly handled, ordinary people are sometimes arrested for smaller offences, such as spraying money at events. He believes this shows that the EFCC sometimes focuses on less important issues instead of bigger crimes.
Further talking, he said, “As for El-Rufai, he arguably should have been arrested long ago. He is not entirely innocent in what is happening to him now, although Tinubu may be overdramatizing the situation.
“El-Rufai should not just be under EFCC or DSS investigation—he should be facing more serious charges. He was in government when thousands of Christians were killed.
“I don’t understand why only Vanguard reported that story. If you search online now, Vanguard is the only major source you’ll find. El-Rufai admitted, during his first term as governor, that he traveled abroad to pay off Fulani militants to stop attacks in Southern Kaduna.
“I am from Southern Kaduna, so I am very familiar with what has happened there—the killings and the displacement of communities. El-Rufai left office in 2023 and installed his preferred successor, Uba Sani, as governor. Uba Sani was not even expected to win a local council election, yet El-Rufai made him a senator and later supported his governorship bid.
“El-Rufai should have been arrested and possibly taken to the ICC for crimes against humanity. The scale of killings in Southern Kaduna is significant, and many communities have been taken over. Journalists have risked their lives reporting these incidents.
“Even if El-Rufai did not directly commit these acts, he was the governor and in charge of security. Therefore, he bears responsibility. Similarly, Buhari was president when armed groups became more prominent….See More
Leave a Reply