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Human rights lawyer and activist, Comrade Marshal Abubakar, has issued a cautionary response to the three-count charge filed against former Nasir El-Rufai, warning that while justice must be served, a hasty and poorly coordinated prosecution could ultimately enable the former Kaduna State governor to evade accountability.
In a statement titled “My Take on the Charges Filed Against Nasir El-Rufai,” Abubakar said he had reviewed the charge sheet and expressed deep concern that the approach adopted by the Department of State Services (DSS) could undermine the broader quest for justice over what he described as atrocious crimes committed during El-Rufai’s tenure as governor of Kaduna State.
According to Abubakar, the record of alleged abuses under El-Rufai’s administration is extensive and well documented, stretching far beyond the immediate charges now before the court.
“The atrocious crimes of El-Rufai while he held sway as governor of Kaduna State are well documented,” the lawyer said. “Under his watch and command, hundreds of our Shiite brothers were killed between December 2 and 5, 2015, in Zaria and buried in shallow graves at Mando, Kaduna.”
Abubakar recalled the December 2015 clashes between the Nigerian Army and members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) in Zaria, which left hundreds of Shi’ites dead.
He alleged that the killings occurred under the authority of the Kaduna State Government and that the victims were secretly buried in mass graves.
He described El-Rufai’s years in office as tyrannical, accusing him of ruling “like a Pharaoh” and presiding over a climate of fear, repression, and impunity.
“Several unresolved murders are traced to him,” Abubakar stated, adding that many cases linked to that period remain unanswered years after El-Rufai left office.
Among the most prominent cases cited by the rights lawyer is the abduction and killing of the Agom Adara, Maiwada Galadima, a revered traditional ruler.
Abubakar recalled that Galadima was abducted in 2018 along the Kaduna–Kachia Road shortly after what he described as a fierce meeting with the Kaduna State Government.
“Our well-respected Agom Adara, Maiwada Galadima, was abducted after a fierce meeting with the Kaduna State Government,” he said, noting that the case remains unresolved and continues to fuel suspicions of official complicity.
Abubakar also referenced the prolonged detention and prosecution of the IMN leader, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, which he said was driven by the El-Rufai administration.
According to him, the charges against El-Zakzaky were filed even after three of the cleric’s sons were killed during the Zaria crackdown.
“A frivolous charge was filed against Sheikh Zakzaky on the authority of El-Rufai after his three sons were killed,” Abubakar said. “Thank God we won that case after I demolished the testimonies of their lying generals under cross-examination.”
He described the prosecution as vindictive and politically motivated, aimed at silencing dissent rather than upholding the rule of law.
Beyond the high-profile cases, Abubakar listed what he called a pattern of harassment, intimidation, and persecution of critics under El-Rufai’s government.
He cited the alleged persecution of Audu Bakori and several other critics, who, he said, were bullied, detained, or harassed for opposing the government.
He also highlighted the continued disappearance of activist Abubakar Idris, popularly known as Dadiyata, who was abducted in Kaduna and has not been seen since.
“Up till date, our comrade Dadiyata is yet to return after he was abducted under El-Rufai’s Kaduna,” Abubakar said. “The sins are endless.”
Despite his detailed catalogue of alleged abuses, Abubakar was critical of the manner in which the current charges were reportedly filed by the DSS.
He described it as embarrassing that the DSS would rush to court over what he said was merely a television interview granted by El-Rufai the previous weekend.
“No investigation to prove the veracity of the claim. No statement taken,” he said. “The state must put its act together if it wishes to win this fight.”
Abubakar warned that El-Rufai is not a political lightweight and should not be underestimated.
“El-Rufai is not a pushover. He is battle-tested and brags that he wins every president he fights,” he said, suggesting that a weak or poorly prepared case could easily collapse in court.
While insisting that El-Rufai must not escape justice, the human rights lawyer stressed that the pursuit of accountability must be deliberate, evidence-driven, and strategic.
“El-Rufai must not escape justice,” Abubakar said, “but an uncoordinated fight without tact is bound to fail.”
He cautioned against sacrificing substance for speed, warning that a rushed prosecution could ultimately crash-land justice and deny victims and their families true closure.
