Adara Elders from Southern Kaduna have filed a lawsuit against former Governor Nasiru El-Rufa’i, alleging violations of their fundamental human rights, unlawful imprisonment, and harassment.
In their submission to the Federal High Court in Kaduna, the elders stated that they were unjustly detained and later released by the administration of El-Rufa’i in 2019.
The claimants, led by Aweni Dio Maisamari, the former Chairman of the Adara Development Association (ADA), are seeking ₦2.3 billion in damages for arbitrary arrests, general exemplary damages, and special damages, citing the significant rights violations they endured.
The case was brought before the Federal High Court in Kaduna on Tuesday and has been adjourned by Justice Hauwa’u Buhari to allow for proper service to the respondents, in accordance with Order 5 Rule 7 of the Fundamental Human Rights Act.
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Counsel to the Plaintiff, Gloria Ballason explained that her “client was unjustly imprisoned by the immediate past administration of the state for more than 3 months in 2019 and later released because nothing was found against them.
“We are here for a case of unjust imprisonment of the Adara Elders, they were imprisoned in 2019 and they came to court to seek the enforcement of their fundamental rights.”
” Their Chief, Rafael Maiwada Galadima was killed in very questionable and curious circumstances about the same time this arrest occured under the administration of Mallam Nasiru Elrufai.”
” It so happened that my client standing here with me -Mr. Aweni Dio Maisamari had shown up at a meeting and wanted to enquire but was bundled up and taken to prison including 8 others. After more than 3 months, the court found nothing against them and the case was dismissed”.
Ballason stated that it was Mallam El-Rufa’i who specifically ordered that Mr. Aweni Dio Maisamari, the President of the Adara Development Association, be apprehended without any investigation or reasonable suspicion of wrongdoing.
“The Nasiru Elrufai administration was well known to be that of a cocktail of rights violations including killings to wrongful imprisonments to attacks.”
The Plaintiffs in the case are claiming damages which include, “restraining the respondent from illegal orders, and including the State and a perpetual injunction for 900 Million naira for arbitrary arrest, compensation of 100 million naira for general and exemplary damages, 500 million naira for other damages that were in court, and special damages in the sum of N800 Million given the quantum of rights that were violated”.
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