A human rights advocacy group, the Transparency and Accountability Network (TAN), has called on world powers to bar former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, from entering their countries, citing his record in office and recent comments which it described as threats to peace and humanity.
In an open letter to the United Nations Secretary-General and ambassadors of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, China and others, TAN’s national coordinator, Michael Briggs, urged the international community to “act decisively” against El-Rufai.
The group accused the former governor of “stoking ethnic and religious hatred,” particularly against Southern Kaduna communities. It referenced El-Rufai’s recent appearance on Channels Television, where he asserted that Southern Kaduna accounts for less than a quarter of the state’s population, saying he had no regrets over his policies in the region.
“On live television, he looked into the eyes of a nation and began the process of wiping a people off the map,” Briggs alleged, warning that such rhetoric encourages violence.
TAN also recalled El-Rufai’s 2019 comment during the general elections, when he warned international observers they could return “in body bags,” describing it as proof that “he believes he is above all laws, both human and divine.”
The group further accused El-Rufai of indifference to repeated attacks on Southern Kaduna communities during his tenure and cited the 2015 military crackdown on members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) in Zaria, which left hundreds dead.
TAN urged foreign governments to deny him visas, block access to financial institutions abroad, and declare him persona non grata, arguing that such measures would deter leaders who exploit hate speech for political ends.
“We cannot allow a man who threatens genocide on his own people to then board a plane and find safe haven in your countries,” TAN stated. “Your action now is not just about border control. It is about telling Southern Kaduna they are seen, and telling El-Rufai and others like him that the world will no longer provide safe havens for their kind.”
