Breach of Rights: Southern Kaduna elders slam El-Rufai N2.3bn lawsuit

Elders of Southern Kaduna have sued the immediate past governor of the state, Nasiru El-Rufai over alleged breach of their fundamental human rights, unlawful imprisonment and harassment.

The elders told a Federal High Court, Kaduna, that they were detained, unjustly imprisoned and later released by the former Governor Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai-led administration in 2019.

Led by former Chairman of the Adara Development Association, ADA, Aweni Dio Maisamari, the claimants are demanding 2.3 Billion naira in damages, ranging from arbitrary arrest, general exemplary damages and special damages, given the quantum of rights that were violated.

The case came up at the Federal High Court, Kaduna, on Tuesday and was adjourned by Justice Hauwa’u Buhari 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 explained that her clients were unjustly imprisoned by the immediate past administration of the state for more than 3 months in 2019 and later released because nothing was found against them.

According to the counsel, it was Mallam Elrufai who specifically directed that the President of the Adara Development Association, Mr. Aweni Dio Maisamari should be picked without investigation and reasonable suspicion of crime.

“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 occured 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 added

Breach of Rights: Southern Kaduna elders slam El-Rufai N2.3bn lawsuit