TheCable

 Chidi Odinkalu, former chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), says critics of Nasir el-Rufai, governor of Kaduna state, are currently facing prosecution.

Charges ranging from incitement of public disturbance, injurious falsehood and defamation have been filed against some persons.

This has triggered criticisms, with many accusing el-Rufai of punishing his critics.

In a statement on Monday, Aisha Dikko, attorney-general of Kaduna, distanced the governor from the trials, emphasising that the state government filed the charges against them.

But responding in a series of tweets, Odinkalu alleged that the governor has been persecuting his critics.

Among those Odinkalu accused el-Rufai of treating unfairly are: Zarak Zebedee, a PhD student of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; Gabriel Idibia, a journalist; Jacob Dickson, also a journalist; Suleiman Hunkuyi, a former senator; and John Danfulani, a lecturer.

Below are Odinkalu’s tweets:

Nasir @elrufai has caused to be issued on his behalf a tissue of untruths, #halftruths & falsehoods concerning his brutal persecution of his critics as @GovKaduna. To help his memory, here is a litany of #bodybags of critics who have suffered at his handshttps://t.co/Y5x8qzuXFT

— Chidi Odinkalu (@ChidiOdinkalu) September 1, 2020

Barack Zebedee: Ph.D student in fisheries & hydrology in Biology Dept., Ahmadu Bello Univ, Zaria: Arrested in May 2017 on charges of incitement for a post on a WhatsApp group created to mobilise assistance for victims of #SouthernKadunaMassacrehttps://t.co/ekrHSRStTy

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— Chidi Odinkalu (@ChidiOdinkalu) September 1, 2020

Gabriel Idibia: journalist with The Union newspaper, dragged to court reportedly for being inquisitive about @elrufai's declared his assets as demanded by law.https://t.co/TDOqFXc3IH

— Chidi Odinkalu (@ChidiOdinkalu) September 1, 2020

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Jacob Onjewu Dickson: Journalist with Authentic News, was arrested, detained & charged with – yes, u guessed it – #Incitement in May 2016, after reporting that youths had pelted @elrufai with objects.https://t.co/CLPskWJgxk

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— Chidi Odinkalu (@ChidiOdinkalu) September 1, 2020

Luka Binniyat: @Kindusluka was Kaduna Bureau Chief of @vanguardngrnews, when @elrufai ordered his arrest in Feb 2017 for a report under his by-line in the newspaper. Luka was detained for ovr 130 days without bail & El-Rufai instigated Vanguard to fire himhttps://t.co/4kbbiHyVAl

— Chidi Odinkalu (@ChidiOdinkalu) September 1, 2020

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Midat Joseph: Journalist with @LeadershipNGA, was arrested on orders of @elrufai in April 2017 for a post in a WhatsApp group. Guess what the charges against him were? #Incitement!https://t.co/3hZluXybE0

— Chidi Odinkalu (@ChidiOdinkalu) September 1, 2020

Sunny Yayock: Freelance journalist, arrested, detained & charged to court for his comment on social Media supporting a call for peaceful Demonstration. He slept for two days in the police cell before he was taken to court & granted bailhttps://t.co/ZY67n3r51Q

— Chidi Odinkalu (@ChidiOdinkalu) September 1, 2020

Adamu Abdullahi: #SocialMedia activist, was arrested by @PoliceNG in Kaduna for questioning, for reportedly re-tweeting a tweet about @elrufai being pelted with objects.https://t.co/ZY67n3r51Q

— Chidi Odinkalu (@ChidiOdinkalu) September 1, 2020

Segun Onibiyo: @SegunOnibiyo, journalist with @radionigeriahq was arrested charged on orders of @elrufai on 14 Nov 2019 with – yes, u guessed it! – #Incitement, for his #socialmedia posts. He spent most of Dec 2019 detained b4 being released after 24 dayshttps://t.co/vjZd53YLg5

— Chidi Odinkalu (@ChidiOdinkalu) September 1, 2020

Samuel Ogundipe: @SamuelOgundipe was a journalist with @PremiumTimesng when @elrufai's son, Bello, threatened to arrest him for reporting that Bello had threatened the Mum of sm1 who criticized his Dad, @GovKaduna, with #gangrapehttps://t.co/t9BXBmeLt5

— Chidi Odinkalu (@ChidiOdinkalu) September 1, 2020

Dr. John Danfulani: @john_danfulani Lecturer in Kaduna State University was suspended, arrested, detained & charged for #incitement allegedly for criticising @elrufai through a Facebook post. He detained for many days before bail. He was also fired.https://t.co/hdIfxrKu32

— Chidi Odinkalu (@ChidiOdinkalu) September 1, 2020

HRH Dr. Ishaku Damina: 1st Class paramount Chief of Kurama, in #SouthernKaduna, detained on trumped up charges for over a month on orders of @elrufai in 2017. He was eventually granted bail when Court found nothing against him.https://t.co/gtr7VKyka2

— Chidi Odinkalu (@ChidiOdinkalu) September 1, 2020

HRH, Dr. Maiwada Raphael Galadima, Agwam Adara: 1st Class Paramount Ruler of the Adara of #SouthernKaduna, abducted on a Friday with his wife after protesting @elrufai creating an Emirate over his kingdom. His body was discovered days later.https://t.co/k8H1Yvwxzu

— Chidi Odinkalu (@ChidiOdinkalu) September 1, 2020

Adara Elders, Bawa Magaji (Waziri); Sani Magaji, (Baraden);
Awemi Dio Maisamari; Joseph Abdalla; Tanko Maisanari; Hosea Danladi; Joseph Ayuba;
Tanko Wada; Ulu Maitumbi; arrested & detained for 106 days before being released bcos charges were trumped uphttps://t.co/rTahMuHybw

— Chidi Odinkalu (@ChidiOdinkalu) September 1, 2020

Abubakar Idris (Dadiyata): University lecturer, abducted from the gate of his house in Barnawa Kaduna on 1 august 2019 & disappeared since. He is one of @elrufai's most prominent critics. Bashir El-Rufai implies that he knows smithing about this abduction.#WhereIsDadiyata pic.twitter.com/dckF3RvZkk

— Chidi Odinkalu (@ChidiOdinkalu) September 1, 2020

Steven Kefason: @SKefason, journalist & activist was abducted from Rivers State on the orders of @elrufai, taken to Kaduna & detained for 162 days b4 bail. Charges? #Incitement. While he was detained, his #socialmedia footprint was wiped outhttps://t.co/6EonuzzhDX

— Chidi Odinkalu (@ChidiOdinkalu) September 1, 2020

Dr. Zuwaqhu Bonat: senior lecturer at Kaduna State University & a community leader, was sacked from his job on the orders of @elrufai for his advocacy work on behalf of the communities of #SouthernKaduna.https://t.co/xdBVYLp98V

— Chidi Odinkalu (@ChidiOdinkalu) September 1, 2020

Inuwa Abdulkadir: Lawyer, former Minister & NW Zonal Chair of @OfficialAPCNig, @elrufai demolished Inuwa's home in Kaduna when he declined support to suspend @ShehuSani from the party. Inuwa died in July with the case still pending in court.https://t.co/IIKWJ7pKrc

— Chidi Odinkalu (@ChidiOdinkalu) September 1, 2020

Suleiman Hunkuyi: former Kaduna State Chairman of @OfficialAPCNg & senator of @NGRSenate, @elrufai demolished Senator Hunkuyi's home in Unguwar Rimi over a political disagreement & converted it into a children's park.https://t.co/V4uE8swmvz

— Chidi Odinkalu (@ChidiOdinkalu) September 1, 2020

Shehu Sani: @ShehuSani represented Kaduna Central in @NGRSenate on platform of @OfficialAPCNg. When he disagreed with @elrufai's brutalities, the gov. reportedly induced the party to turf him out of the party & started gloating.https://t.co/L4ogr4jvr4

— Chidi Odinkalu (@ChidiOdinkalu) September 1, 2020

Audu Maikori: At the Lagos #SociaMediaWeek in 2017, @elrufai promised publicly that @Audu, lawyer & entrepreneur, will be abducted to Kaduna. True to his word, in Feb 2017, Audu was unlawfully vanished from Lagos to Kaduna on charges of incitement.https://t.co/n43qr30nvD

— Chidi Odinkalu (@ChidiOdinkalu) September 1, 2020

Gloria Ballason: When then @NigBarAssoc president, @abmtwitt visited @elrufai in 2016 ovr #SouthernKaduna, the gov threatened to abduct #HumanRights lawyer & CEO @HOJusticeIntl, @GMabeiam ovr an article she wrote. She has many court orders against @elrufaihttps://t.co/B0hbes2xFc

— Chidi Odinkalu (@ChidiOdinkalu) September 1, 2020

Writing in 2014, @elrufai's longest boss, Obasanjo, said:
"…Character wise, Nasir has not much going for him. He's a malicious liar. He was more than that; he is a pathological purveyor of untruth & half-truths with little or no regard to integrity."https://t.co/au5raKSea9

— Chidi Odinkalu (@ChidiOdinkalu) September 1, 2020

This thread is merely illustrative & not exhaustive of the tale of @elrufai's crimes of #AbuseOfPower, #NapoleonSyndrome, & ruinous peeves & pettinesses.

This is necessitated by the tissue of mendacity issued on his behalf yesterday by @MOJKaduna.https://t.co/pREG0KTy0u

— Chidi Odinkalu (@ChidiOdinkalu) September 1, 2020