By Bomba Dauda
Following a landmark ruling by the Federal High Court in Kaduna which awarded N900 million in damages against former Governor Nasir El-Rufai and five others, Alheri Magaji, daughter of Engr. Bawa Magaji, one of the victims of the 2019 Adara elders’ detention, has taken a strong swipe at Southern Kaduna politicians who supported the former governor to achieve his evil against their brothers.
The court on Monday, May 27, 2025, found that the detention of Adara elders — including Engr. Bawa Magaji, Alheri’s father and a former Kaduna State Commissioner — constituted a violation of their fundamental human rights.
Reacting to the judgement, Alheri Magaji, who is the CEO of RADi, a humanitarian organisation, and Dogara Café, did not hold back in her condemnation of politicians from Southern Kaduna who, according to her, “shielded” and “enabled” El-Rufai’s controversial actions during his administration.
In an emotional message shared on her official platforms, Magaji said:
“As I close this chapter of my life… I want all those SK [Southern Kaduna] boys and girls who shielded this man no matter what truth stared them in the face… to look very well at this headline. This victory for me is majorly against you, and not El-Rufai.”
She accused some Southern Kaduna indigenes of aiding the former governor in policies and actions that, according to her, devastated their own people.
“He would NEVER have been able to get away with the things he did to Southern Kaduna without your support… Your hands are soiled forever in my eyes,” she added, pointing to the trauma, displacement, and deaths that occurred during El-Rufai’s tenure.
Magaji also referenced the detention of Southern Kaduna youth, including juveniles, and alleged complicity in the marginalisation and killings in the region. She challenged those who previously defended the governor to revisit their positions in light of the court’s ruling.
“This headline is for every SK son & daughter who helped and still help those against us… You told me it wasn’t him, it was KDSG. Read the headline again!” she wrote.
Her statement concluded with a stinging rebuke:
“They will not be in power forever and you? You will ALWAYS have SK blood running through your veins. May that blood NEVER give you peace!”
The Federal High Court judgement marks a significant legal and moral victory for the Adara community and others who have long accused the El-Rufai administration of heavy-handedness and marginalisation.
As reactions continue to pour in, the verdict may reignite political debates around the legacy of El-Rufai’s governance and the role played by local actors in Southern Kaduna’s turbulent recent history.
