• Says justice must be seen done
THE Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), on Tuesday appealed to Nigerians to refrain from comments capable of prejudicing the ongoing trial of former Governor Nasir el-Rufai, of Kaduna State or exacerbating the security situation in the country.
This is even as the apex Islamic body urged the Federal Government and the judiciary to ensure that individuals with vested interests do not use the legal system to execute a sectarian agenda against the former governor.
In a release by its Secretary General, Professor Is-haq Oloyede, the NSCIA stated that it had refrained from commenting on the controversy surrounding El-Rufai’s prosecution or that of any political figure.
This, according to the council, was because it not only considered the former governor’s prosecution as a standard judicial process, but also believed that the judiciary had inherent capacity to uphold justice.
The body, however, stated that recent developments raised serious concerns suggesting an extraneous involvement of an underlying religious bias against El-Rufai.
“The NSCIA has persistently refrained from commenting on the controversy surrounding the ongoing prosecution of El-Rufai or any political figure.
“The restraint was because the council hitherto considered the prosecution as a standard judicial process and believed that the judiciary has inherent capacity to uphold justice.
“However, recent developments in the public domain have raised serious concerns that suggest an extraneous involvement of an underlying religious bias against the former governor,” the NSCIA stated.
The council, therefore, cautioned against comments that could either prejudice the fair trial of the former governor or exacerbate the country’s security situation.
“Consequently, the council calls upon the Federal Government and the judiciary to ensure that individuals with vested religious interests are strictly prevented from weaponising public institutions or the legal system to execute a sectarian agenda against him,” it stated.
“Furthermore, the council appeals to the general public to refrain from incendiary comments that could prejudice the fair trial of El -Rufai or exacerbate the security situation in our nation.”
The NSCIA, prayed to Allah to grant peace, stability and security to the country.
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