El-Rufai suffering religious persecution, alleges Oloyede-led NSCIA
By Ishaya Ibrahim
The federal government prosecution of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has been labelled as a religious persecution by the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA).
In a statement by its Secretary-General, Prof Ishaq Oloyede, on behalf of the council, said its earlier silence was based on its belief that El-Rufai’s prosecution, like those involving other political figures, was a standard judicial process.
But Oloyede said the council’s position has changed following recent developments in the public domain.
Part of the statement reads: “The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has persistently refrained from commenting on the controversy surrounding the ongoing prosecutions of His Excellency, Mallam Nasiru El-Rufai, the former Governor of Kaduna State, or any political figure.
“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.
“Consequently, the Council calls upon the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Judiciary to ensure that individuals with vested religious interests are strictly prevented from weaponizing public institutions or the legal system to execute a sectarian agenda against him.”
The Islamic body also urged members of the public to refrain from comments capable of prejudicing El-Rufai’s fair trial or worsening the country’s security situation.
It stressed the need for peace, stability and security in Nigeria, even as it expressed concern over what it described as the possible intrusion of religious considerations into the matter.
