Fides Media Living the Faith
By Ikeugonna Eleke
A group, Coalition of Nigerians Living in United Kingdom, has accused the former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, of promoting Radical Islamism in Nigeria.
The group, in a press statement issued from London and signed by the chairperson and secretary, Dr Loretta Oduware Ogboro-Okor Olorogun, and Theodore Ochuko Arayki, respectively, condemned the recent utterances of the former governor.
It stated that, with statements from el-Rufai confirming that his Muslim-Muslim ticket in Kaduna State, and that of the recent Presidential Election in Nigeria were deliberately orchestrated, it would not be wrong to hold him accountable for the numerous killings in the state that occurred in Kaduna under his watch.
The group, which also reiterated a call in its recent press conference in London, expressed the hope that with ‘the shambolic election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the judiciary is now the hope of the people in righting the wrong.
Part of the statement by the group read: ‘We totally condemn the inciting and genocidal statement by the immediate past Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasiru el-Rufai, justifying the Muslim-Muslim civilian presidency of the country.
‘Since the video of the statement broke, we have waited to see if the former Kaduna State Governor would publicly deny or clarify himself, all to no avail.
‘The Coalition of Nigerians Living in UK hereby makes bold to say that former Governor el-Rufai’s inciting and genocidal statement was not surprising.
‘The statement was also a clear confirmation of the remote and immediate causes of endless butcheries and property violence systematically targeted at defenseless Christians and their property in Nigeria, especially in Southern Kaduna and Middle-Belt.
‘It further confirms that the butcheries have nothing to do with the so-called farmers-herders clashes.’
The Coalition called on the leaders of Southern Kaduna, the Middle-Belt, and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), to go after Mallam el-Rufai and ensure that he did not go scot-free or walk the streets of Nigeria and West Democracies freely after such actions.
Speaking on the 2023 Presidential Election, the group said: ‘On the 15th of May 2023, we issued a communique at the ILEC, International Conference Center, London, UK, with the theme: ”Nigeria on Trial – does Democracy Matter?”
‘As Nigerians in the United Kingdom who demand a better society with justice, peace, and sustainable development, we decided to host the International Press Conference with the purpose to deepen true democracy that guarantees stability in our dear country – Nigeria.
‘The promises made by Nigeria’s electoral umpire, INEC, led by Professor Mahmood Yakubu, to conduct free, fair, and credible elections, stimulated maximal engagement by the Nigerian masses to participate in the electoral process, but were ultimately aborted and never met.
‘Nigerians are deeply saddened by the outcomes of the 2023 Presidential Election. Particularly disheartening, were the scale of violence, severe voter intimidation, disenfranchisement, ballot box snatching and destruction in the full glare of the Nigerian security personnel, independent and international observers, resulting in serious injuries and deaths of Nigerians.
‘We call for investigations into the maiming, killing, ethnic targeted violence and ethnic profiling that took place in Lagos to bring perpetrators to book. This will serve as a deterrent to this despicable stain on our shared nationhood.
‘It is our prayer that the Nigeria Judiciary who now carries the weight of over 200 million Nigerians seeking for justice, cannot afford to drop the ball as Nigerians firmly believe that justice will be served based on facts and evidence.’