NSCIA alleges religious bias in El-Rufai’s incarceration

The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has accused external and religious forces in the ongoing detention of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai. The council revealed that it initially refrained from commenting on the matter, but due to recent events, it felt compelled to make a statement.

The NSCIA's Secretary-General, Prof Is-haq Oloyede, revealed that the council initially stayed out of the controversy due to the standard judicial process being a typical judicial procedure and the Judiciary possessing the capacity to uphold justice. However, recent developments in the public domain have raised serious concerns regarding religious bias against El-Rufai.

Former Defence Minister, General Christopher Musa, had accused El-Rufai of planning killings in Southern Kaduna during his tenure (2015-2023). Musa described the situation in the state during El-Rufai's administration as "toxic," citing residents' discontent over the killings that occurred during his rule. However, El-Rufai denied these allegations and demanded a retraction, issuing a seven-day ultimatum to Musa to provide evidence or publicly retract the claim.

The NSCIA emphasized that the recent public developments strongly suggest an extraneous involvement of religious bias against the former governor. The council called upon the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Judiciary to prevent individuals with vested religious interests from weaponizing public institutions or the legal system for a sectarian agenda against El-Rufai.

They also appealed to the general public to refrain from making incendiary comments that could prejudice El-Rufai's fair trial or worsen the security situation in the nation. The council concluded by wishing Almighty Allah peace, stability, and security for Nigeria.