Huriwa to Governor Elrufai-: End discrimination against Christians now

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, on Friday charged Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State to end the killings of Christians in his state.

HURIWA stated that the indiscriminate killings under El-Rufai’s administration offends Section 42 of the Nigerian constitution.

The rights group claimed that most of the policies by the El-Rufai-led administration were anti-Christian.

HURIWA made the remark while faulting the decision of the state government to reappoint a new Emir of Zazzau while Adara kingdom, majorly Christian populated, was yet to get a new chief, following the killing of its Christian First Class Chief two years ago.

The rights group stated this in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, and Miss. Zainab Yusuf, its Director of National Media Affairs.

The statement reads partly: “It is most disheartening that a governor of a multi-religious and multi-ethnic state like Kaduna would resort to discriminatory tendencies, evident from most of his policies that are against the Christian dominated southern kaduna region of the state.

“For instance, the 19th Fulani Emir of Zazzau; Ambassador Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli, ascended the throne following the demise of Alhaji Dr. Shehu Idris. Though the Fulani Emir Shehu Idris met his maker on 20 September 2020 through natural causes, he has already been effectively replaced.

“However, the Christian First Class Chief of Adara Kingdom was kidnapped on 19 October and assassinated on 26 October 2018. Two years down the line, he is yet to be replaced.

“We, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) have it on good authority that on the 22 October 2018, three days after the kidnap of the Adara indigenous chief, Governor El-Rufai of Kaduna State gave a state broadcast without mentioning it.

“In contrast, just minutes after it was made public, the demise of the Emir of Zazzau, Governor El-Rufai declared a three days holiday, instructing that the national flag be flown at half-mast in honour of the deceased. The state media was awashed with the issues of his demise.

“Again, following the killings of innocent citizens in Southern Kaduna and reports accusing governor El-rufai of taking sides, the governor, not too long ago faulted the report by accusing the leaders of Southern Kaduna of wanting him to appease them and describing them as criminals.

“While we are yet to hear any policy targeted at re-settling and compensating Southern Kaduna People who are the victims of the heinous attacks, in the December 3, 2016 report by Vangurad Newspaper, Governor El’Rufai was quoted to have said that his government has traced some violent, aggrieved Fulani to their countries and paid them to stop the killings of Southern Kaduna natives.

“Despite assurances from both the federal and Kaduna State governments to nip the crisis in the bud, the spiraling of the attacks indicates that the perpetrators were yet to sheathe their swords against communities in Southern Kaduna and yet not one killer is punished but rather El’Rufai turns back to accuse the leaders of Southern Kaduna for being lazy.” (Agency report)