On Thursday, protesters in large numbers stormed the Kaduna Government House, urging Governor Uba Sani to call upon the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other security agencies to arrest and prosecute his predecessor, Nasir El-Rufai. The call for action follows an indictment over N423 billion in misappropriated funds.
Under the banner of Kaduna Citizens Watch for Good Governance, the protesters marched from the popular UTC bus stop along Sokoto Road to the main entrance of Sir Kashim Ibrahim Government House in Kaduna. They carried placards with messages such as “We will occupy all MDAs to chase out all indicted persons in the report,” and “Stop servicing all loans that did not follow due process before they were obtained.”
The demonstration comes in response to a report by an ad hoc committee of the Kaduna State House of Assembly. The committee, tasked with investigating all finances, loans, and contracts awarded under El-Rufai’s administration from 2015 to 2023, found significant misuse of loans. According to the committee, led by Deputy Speaker Henry Zacharia, many loans obtained during El-Rufai’s tenure were not used for their intended purposes.
The committee’s report recommends the prosecution of El-Rufai and other cabinet members for abuse of office and money laundering. The current governor, Uba Sani, lamented the financial state left by his predecessor, citing a massive debt burden that has hindered the state’s ability to pay workers’ salaries.
Governor Sani disclosed during a town hall meeting that he inherited a lean treasury with substantial debts, amounting to N587 million, N85 billion, and N115 billion in contractual liabilities. Despite this, he expressed commitment to steering Kaduna State towards progress and sustainable development.
The revelations have stirred significant reactions, including from El-Rufai’s son, Bashir, who criticized Governor Sani on social media, accusing him of avoiding his responsibilities.
Comrade Victor Duniya, the leader of the protest, called on Governor Sani to implement the relevant sections of the House committee report. He urged the governor to forward the findings to the EFCC and other agencies to begin recovering the allegedly misappropriated N423 billion.
Duniya praised the thorough investigation conducted by the Kaduna State House of Assembly and urged the governor to act on the report despite threats from those implicated. He assured the governor of the protesters’ support and called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of El-Rufai and his allies.
The protesters were received by Deputy Governor Hajiya Hadiza Balarabe, Secretary to the State Government Abdulkadir Meyere, Deputy Chief of Staff Umar Hassan Waziri, and Private Personal Secretary Prof. Bello Ayuba. The officials appreciated the peaceful nature of the protest and assured that their message would be conveyed to the governor.
