Youths in Southern Kaduna Reject Pro-El-Rufai Protesters

Youth leaders and community stakeholders from the eight local government areas in the Southern Kaduna Senatorial District have clarified that they do not associate with a recent rally held in support of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai. They emphasized that the individuals behind the protest do not represent the interests of the region.

This statement follows a demonstration in Kaduna metropolis where hundreds of young people advocated for an inquiry into the former governor's actions, occurring less than a day after a separate group had protested his continued detention.

During a press briefing in Kafanchan, these Southern Kaduna youth leaders condemned the solidarity rally, labeling it a "mischievous narrative" designed by those unfamiliar to the local populace.

They stated, "We wish to make it unequivocally clear that those individuals are unfamiliar and do not represent the people of Southern Kaduna and cannot speak on our behalf,” urging the public to ignore what they referred to as “the statements of these outsiders with Southern Kaduna sentiments.”

In a joint statement signed by Nasiru Jagaba, the former Youth Leader of the Southern Kaduna People’s Union (SOKAPU), and Comrade Derek Christopher, Chairman of the Southern Kaduna Peace and Security Network (SKPSN), the coalition criticized El-Rufai’s supporters for overlooking the community's painful experiences during his administration.

The statement asserted, "For personal gain, they seem to have forgotten the killings, rapes, property destruction, and the merciless murders of children, including infants in their mothers’ wombs, that occurred during that period."

Furthermore, the coalition has called upon the Department of State Services (DSS), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to continue their investigations into an alleged bailout fund, demanding full transparency regarding claims that public funds were disbursed to armed groups during the former administration.