El-Rufai Proscribes Atyap Community Development Association

Less than 24 hours to leaving office, Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has declared the Atyap Community Development Association (ACDA), as unlawful and signed an order to proscribe it.

The ACDA is a socio-cultural association of the Atyap ethnic nationality in Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of the state.

In a statement, yesterday, spokesman of the outgoing governor, Muyiwa Adekeye, said the ACDA, “has constituted itself into a society that is inimical to the peace of the state and has been covertly involved in acts capable of endangering the peace, tranquility, harmonious coexistence and good governance of Kaduna state.”

The statement said, “Governor Nasir El-Rufai has signed the Atyap Community Development Association (Proscription) Order, 2023 in the exercise of the powers conferred by Section 60 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law No. 5 of 2017, and Section 5 (2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Adekeye added that the proscription order became effective on May 24, 2023.

“The proscription order noted that Sections 38 and 40 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, guarantee the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion and also the right to the freedom of association and peaceful assembly to all citizens.

“It also noted that Section 45 (1) of the1999 Constitution vests in the Governor the powers to take such measures and actions as are necessary for the promotion and protection of public safety, public order, public morality or public health, or the rights and freedom of all persons in Kaduna state,” the statement said.

Reacting to the development, in a telephone interview, President of ACDA, Dr. Samuel Ache, said the proscription was an infringement on freedom of association and would be challenged in court.

This is not the first time El-Rufai will be declaring an organisation illegal.

On October 7, 2016, he declared the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), popularly known as Shi’ite, an unlawful organisation and proscribed it.

He said the banning of the religious group was done “in order to preserve the peace and security of the state.”