Kaduna elders sue El-Rufai over alleged breach of rights

Adara Elders in Southern Kaduna have dragged the former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasiru El-Rufai to Court over a breach of their fundamental human rights, unlawful imprisonment and harassment.

The elders told a Federal High Court Kaduna that they were detained, unjustly imprisoned and later released by the former Governor Nasir Ahmed El-Rufa’i-led administration in 2019.

The claimants led by former Chairman of the Adara Development Association (ADA), Aweni Dio Maisamari are demanding 2.3 Billion naira in damages, ranging from arbitrary arrest, general exemplary damages and special damages, given the quantum of rights that were violated.

The case came up at the Federal High Court, Kaduna on Tuesday and was adjourned by Justice Hauwa’u Buhari to give room for proper service to the respondents, in line with order 5 rule 7 of the Fundamental Human Rights Acts.

Counsel to the Plaintiff, Gloria Ballason explained that her “client was unjustly imprisoned by the immediate past administration of the state for more than 3 months in 2019 and later released because nothing was found against them.

“We are here for a case of unjust imprisonment of the Adara Elders, they were imprisoned in 2019 and they came to court to seek the enforcement of their fundamental rights.”

”Their Chief, Rafael Maiwada Galadima was killed in very questionable and curious circumstances about the same time this arrest occured under the administration of Mallam Nasiru Elrufai.”

”It so happened that my client standing here with me -Mr. Aweni Dio Maisamari had shown up at a meeting and wanted to enquire but was bundled up and taken to prison including 8 others. After more than 3 months, the court found nothing against them and the case was dismissed”.

Ballason said it was Mallam Elrufai who specifically directed that the President of the Adara Development Association, Mr. Aweni Dio Maisamari should be picked without investigation and reasonable suspicion of crime.

“The Nasiru Elrufai administration was well known to be that of a cocktail of rights violations including killings to wrongful imprisonments to attacks.”

The Plaintiffs in the case are claiming damages which include, “restraining the respondent from illegal orders, and including the State and a perpetual injunction for 900 Million naira for arbitrary arrest, compensation of 100 million naira for general and exemplary damages, 500 million naira for other damages that were in court, and special damages in the sum of N800 Million given the quantum of rights that were violated”.