Islamic council raises concern over religious influence in El-Rufai’s prosecution

The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has expressed worry that religious motives may be impacting the current prosecution of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai. The Islamic organization cautioned against employing governmental bodies and the legal system to advance what it called a sectarian campaign against El-Rufai.

The NSCIA noted that it had previously refrained from commenting on the case, believing that El-Rufai's prosecution was part of a typical judicial procedure. In a statement issued by its Secretary-General, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, the council explained that its decision to maintain silence was rooted in its faith in the judiciary. "The restraint was because the Council hitherto considered the prosecution as a standard judicial process and that the Judiciary has inherent capacity to uphold justice," the council stated.

However, the NSCIA declared that recent occurrences had altered its stance and raised concerns regarding potential religious interference in the case. Consequently, the council urged the Federal Government and the judiciary to ensure that the legal process was not misused for religious ends. The NSCIA emphasized that preserving peace, stability, and security should remain a top priority, while urging authorities to prevent religious factors from influencing the legal process.