The Kaduna Victims’ Coalition has called for a comprehensive investigation into alleged extrajudicial killings, forced disappearances, arbitrary abductions and other human rights violations said to have occurred during the administration of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, between 2015 and 2023.
In a statement released on Monday, the coalition, which says it represents survivors, families and affected communities across Kaduna State, demanded full accountability under the rule of law. The group described its members as citizens from diverse backgrounds, including community leaders, professionals, faith leaders, academics, journalists and civil society organisations.
The statement was endorsed by Chidi Anselm Odinkalu, Audu Maikori, Gloria Ballason, Steven Kefas, Luka Binniyat, Midat Joseph, Segun Onibiyo, House of Justice, Community Development and Rights Advocacy Foundation, Resilient Aid and Dialogue Initiative, Southern Kaduna Indigenously Progressive Forum, and Atrocities Watch Africa.
According to the coalition, many families endured years of fear and loss during the eight-year tenure of the former governor. It cited specific cases, including the abduction and killing of HRH Dr. Maiwada Raphael Galadima, the Agwam Adara, who was kidnapped in October 2018 and later killed despite the payment of ransom.
The coalition noted that the killing took place amid controversial restructuring of traditional institutions in the state, which it said heightened ethnic and communal tensions. It also raised concerns that suspects arrested in connection with the monarch’s death have yet to be successfully prosecuted, with questions surrounding their current status.
Another case highlighted was the disappearance of Abubakar Idris, popularly known as Dadiyata, a lecturer at the Federal University Dutsenma and social media commentator. Idris was abducted from his residence in Barnawa, Kaduna, on August 2, 2019, and has not been seen since.
The coalition stated that nearly seven years after his abduction, there has been no official resolution, warning that August 2026 would mark the statutory presumption of death under Nigerian law if he remains unaccounted for.
Beyond individual cases, the group accused the former administration of presiding over a pattern of actions that included persecution of critics, unlawful demolitions, mass dismissals of workers without due process, and forced displacement of residents. It alleged that these actions bypassed constitutional safeguards and fostered a climate of impunity.
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The coalition also expressed concern over what it described as recent attempts to portray El-Rufai as a defender of due process, insisting that survivors and affected families are still seeking truth and justice.
It called for independent investigations, prosecutions where evidence warrants, and closure for victims and their families. The group pledged to cooperate with law enforcement agencies, judicial authorities and human rights institutions by providing testimonies and relevant evidence.
As of the time of filing this report, the former governor has previously denied allegations of wrongdoing in related matters and has maintained that claims against him are politically motivated.
The coalition maintained that its demand is rooted in accountability and respect for the rule of law, stressing that justice for victims would serve as a safeguard against future abuses.
