NSCIA Alleges Religious Bias in El-Rufai’s Continued Detention
The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has raised concerns over the continued detention of former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, alleging that external and religious interests may be influencing the case against him.
The council said it had previously refrained from commenting on the controversy surrounding El-Rufai’s detention, believing that the matter constituted a normal judicial process and that the judiciary had the capacity to ensure justice.
However, in a statement issued by its Secretary-General, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, on Tuesday, the NSCIA said recent developments had compelled it to review its position.
The council’s intervention followed comments attributed to the Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.), who alleged that El-Rufai had planned killings in Southern Kaduna while serving as governor between 2015 and 2023.
Musa also accused the former governor of taking actions that aggravated divisions and contributed to insecurity in Kaduna State during his administration.
He reportedly described the security situation in the state during El-Rufai’s tenure as “toxic”, saying residents of Southern Kaduna remained dissatisfied with the former governor over killings recorded in the area.
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El-Rufai, through a statement issued by his family, denied the allegations and demanded their retraction.
The statement, signed by his eldest son, Hon. Mohammed Bello El-Rufai, expressed concern over the Defence Minister’s remarks and gave him a seven-day ultimatum to provide evidence supporting the allegations or publicly retract them.
Against this backdrop, the NSCIA said recent developments in the public domain had raised “serious concerns” suggesting what it described as possible extraneous involvement and underlying religious bias against the former governor.
The council consequently urged the Federal Government and the judiciary to ensure that individuals with vested religious interests were prevented from using public institutions or the legal system to pursue what it described as a sectarian agenda against El-Rufai.
The NSCIA said, “However, recent developments in the public domain have raised serious concerns that strongly suggest an extraneous involvement of an underlying religious bias against the former Governor.”
It added that authorities must ensure that public institutions and judicial processes were not weaponised for sectarian purposes.
The council also appealed to members of the public to refrain from making incendiary comments capable of prejudicing El-Rufai’s right to a fair trial or worsening the country’s security situation.
The NSCIA concluded its statement with a prayer for peace, stability and security in Nigeria.
By PRNigeria
