….. Accuse him of massacre of Christians in Southern Kaduna, Middle-Belt
From Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha
The Coalition of Nigerians living in the United Kingdom has condemned 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.
The Nigeria’s mainstream and social media were awash with a statement from a video clip of the former Kaduna State Governor allegedly linking him to inflammatory, inciting, and genocidal statement.
In communique issued at end of it’s meeting in UK and signed by Dr. Loretta Oduware Ogboro-Okor Olorogun and Theodore Ochuko Arayki the coalition called for El-rufai’s arrest and prosecution since it had waited to see if the former Kaduna State Governor could 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 properties 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 inaction and conspiratorial roles of the country’s security forces in the butcheries and property violence including indiscriminate burning down or destruction of tens of thousands of churches and Christian schools were also brought to the fore and inescapably exposed as having been fully presidentially backed or sanctioned for deepening of ‘State Jihadism’ championed by Mallam El-Rufai and his cohorts.
“The Coalition hereby calls on the leaders of the Southern Kaduna, the Middle-Belt, and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) to go after Mallam el-Rufai and ensure that he does not go scot-free or walk the streets of Nigeria and west Democracies freely with impunity or as an outlaw. The former Gov seems to enjoy and have passion for bloodshed which was why he publicly threatened the 2019 international independent election observers with “going back or returning to their countries in “body bags”.
” We are also calling on the ICC to arrest and prosecute Mallam Nasiru el-Rufai over charges of crimes against humanity and genocide in Southern Kaduna, Middle-Belt and other parts of the country where he conspired with others to export and instigate the Fulani Jihadists to invade, occupy, kill, rape, abduct, disappear, loot, plunder, burn, destroy and Islamize.
“As we all know, our people have been through a most frustrating eight years under this out-gone administration that brought us to globally embarrassing rankings in corruption, out of school children’s numbers, terrorism, insecurity, and poverty (and ethno-religious divisions and radicalism). It is common knowledge that our sons and daughters are making waves and excelling in different career spheres in other parts of the world, yet our country wallows in poor indices. These unacceptable and unfortunate rankings exists not because Nigerian lacks the human capital to change this narrative, rather they are the result of exclusion of Nigerians in determining those that run the affairs of our country.
“The promises made by Nigeria’s electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), led by Professor Mahmood Yakubu to conduct a free, fair, and credible election where every vote would count, gave hope to Nigerians. These promises which stimulated maximal engagement by the Nigerian masses to participate in the electoral process were ultimately aborted and never met. The consequences of these guaranteed processes failing and the constitutional breeches that have ensued are the focal points of this press statement. The Coalition of Nigerians Living in the United Kingdom is made up of highly patriotic Nigerians from different fields of endeavor who are committed to a peaceful and progressive country, governed by the rule of law under our constitution.
“Nigerians are deeply saddened by the outcomes of the 2023 Presidential elections. 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. This rape of Nigeria’s constitution must be condemned in its entirety by all who believe and practice true Democracy especially in the free world.
“The Coalition condemns in the strongest terms, the fraudulent role of INEC. This is because despite the guarantees of INEC in the run up to the 2023 elections, which created enthusiasm for mass participation with a view to deepening Nigeria’s democracy, INEC did not allow for a credible and fair process to produce our Country’s leaders.
“As the process of producing the new president of Nigeria is now at the altar of the judiciary, issues on questionable character and eligibility of candidates must be critically scrutinized and objectively addressed, with the optimism of restoring the hopes of millions of Nigerians now resting on our judiciary .It is therefore, right to say our country awaits justice and that Nigeria’s democracy is on trial” the coalition stated.