Hundreds of youths and civil society actors staged coordinated protests in Kaduna on Thursday, calling for the investigation and prosecution of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, over alleged financial misconduct totaling N432 billion and the unresolved disappearance of social media activist, Abubakar Idris, popularly known as Dadiyata.
The demonstrators, drawn from the Nasiriya Movement and youth leaders across Southern Kaduna Senatorial District, converged at the UTC roundabout before marching to Government House under the watch of security operatives.
Placards bearing inscriptions such as “Where is Dadiyata?”, “Publish the $350m loan agreement,” “El-Rufai must refund N432bn,” and “Kaduna deserves accountability” punctuated the procession as protesters demanded transparency in the management of state funds.
Speaking during the rally, youth leaders Anas Yusuf and Joseph Chori insisted that restoring public trust in governance requires a comprehensive audit of the previous administration. They specifically demanded full disclosure of the $350 million World Bank loan secured under El-Rufai’s tenure, including the loan agreement, expenditure breakdown and repayment structure.
The protesters described Dadiyata’s 2019 disappearance as “an open wound,” arguing that officials who held power at the time must provide answers.
They further called for an independent security audit of Kaduna State and cautioned against alleged attempts to stage counter-protests aimed at discrediting their demands.
In a parallel demonstration, the Nasiriya Movement threw its weight behind ongoing investigations by anti-corruption agencies. Its National President, Alhaji Garkuwa Ibrahim Babuga, alleged that over N432 billion was misappropriated during the former governor’s administration and urged authorities to recover any diverted public funds.
Babuga also accused the past administration of disengaging civil servants without payment of gratuities, vowing sustained protests until “justice is served.”
Separately, youth leaders from Southern Kaduna distanced themselves from a recent pro-El-Rufai gathering in Kafanchan, describing it as unrepresentative of the region’s position.
Spokespersons Nasiru Jagaba and Derek Christopher cited alleged past injustices, including the detention of the late Chief of Kurama, Dr. Ishaku Damina. They also demanded a probe into alleged payments to armed groups during the height of insecurity in the state.
The coalition called on oversight institutions to scrutinize security vote expenditures and related allocations, stressing that public funds must remain subject to public accountability.
While reaffirming support for President Bola Tinubu and Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani, the protesters maintained that their demands were rooted in constitutional rights, not political persecution.
“Accountability is not witch-hunting,” one protester declared. “It is our right. Every kobo must be accounted for.”
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