Allegations of human rights abuses, unguarded public utterances, and a purported flood of petitions are the issues advanced by the State Security Service (SSS) against the nomination of former Kaduna State governor Nasir el-Rufa’i, a published report yesterday has revealed.
Recall that the Senate on Monday confirmed 45 ministerial nominees after a week-long screening of 48 of them. It withheld the confirmation of the three remaining nominees, which included el-Rufa’i, an ally and one of the staunchest backers of President Bola Tinubu.
The report quoted different sources with direct knowledge of the security report on el-Rufa’i, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said most of the allegations against the former governor, which were already known to the public, to include broad and specific allegations, including his widely reported controversial remarks and policies, according to sources with direct knowledge of the complaints by the DSS.
They are broadly categorised as human rights abuses, unguarded utterances and conduct, petitions, public trust abuse, and other sundry issues.
Other concerns also raised about alleged human rights abuses by el-Rufa’i while he was governor include the case concerning the killing of the sons and followers of the Shiite leader, Ibraheem el-Zakzaky, in Zaria, Kaduna State, in 2015.
Painting el-Rufa’i as the most controversial ministerial nominee, the DSS said his nomination attracted the most petitions and widespread rejections on both the mainstream and digital platforms. It added that aggrieved members of the society also took protests against him to the National Assembly during the screening exercise, sources said.
The DSS added that before his nomination, several petitions were filed against him. They also said cases were pending against him in different Nigerian and international courts, including the ECOWAS and the ICC. According to the DSS, the agency also listed some petitions filed against el-Rufa’i, including one it said was sent to President Tinubu by the Islamic Human Rights Commission.
It also listed an ICC document acknowledging the court’s receipt of a petition requesting the investigation of el-Rufa’i for acts of genocide and crimes against humanity.
There were other sundry issues the DSS raised against el-Rufa’i. These include: a petition to the National Human Rights Commission and Amnesty International, another one sent to the ICC concerning an alleged forceful takeover of prime land in Kaduna despite court orders, and one other sent to the Kaduna State House of Assembly over the demolition of properties in the State.
There is also an allegation that he once insulted Northern elders, whom the agency described as “a respected group of statesmen”. The sources also said the security report accused el-Rufa’i of once describing Tinubu as the most corrupt person and vowing that he would never deputise such a person with a tainted profile.
The agency also accused him of attempting to repeal Sharia law in Kaduna State in his dying days in office as the State governor. This was said to be in his desperate bid to appease the Christian population in the State. According to sources, the DSS described the move as dangerous, with the possibility of triggering clashes in the state.
In what appears to be political profiling, the DSS also accused the former governor of backstabbing his former bosses. And of inconsistent character, citing his previous claim of being too old to serve as a minister and his subsequent decision to accept Tinubu’s nomination to serve in that capacity.
The agency also cited “anti-people policies” that allegedly destroyed people’s livelihoods in Kaduna State as evidence that he is unfit to hold office as minister. Such alleged anti-people actions attributed to the former governor included: Market demolitions without compensation or alternatives; Eviction and demolition of longstanding low-cost houses; the sacking of thousands of civil servants and removal of traditional rulers “without due process”.
In the letter to the Senate, the DSS did not attach evidence substantiating these allegations. It said investigations were still ongoing. When contacted, Muyiwa the media adviser to el-Rufa’i, Adekeye, declined to comment on the allegations made against his boss.
