Nigerians, EU, React to El-Rufai’s ‘Death Threat’ To Foreigners

The governor of Kaduna state, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, warned against foreign interference in Nigeria’s affairs on Tuesday, 5th of February, 2019.

“Those that are calling for everyone to come and intervene in Nigeria, we are waiting for the person that will come and intervene. They will go back in body bags. Because nobody will come to Nigeria and tell us how to run our country. We’ve got that independence and we are trying to run our country as decently as possible and we know the history of those countries that are trying to teach us these things; we’ve read their history. We also know that in their stages of development they went through these challenges.

“So please, let’s work together; let’s advice one another but don’t lecture us”.

He made this statement during a program aired in Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) anchored by Cyril Stober.

Nigerians Reaction

El-Rufai’s statement was not appreciated by Nigerians who reacted to what he said on social media, Twitter.

@rickieflamez: One day we will let El Rufai and Buhari know they are not the only ones with monopoly of violence, if they want blood, we will drown ourselves in it.

@AishaYesufu: Dear governor Nasir El rufai @elrufai just so you know, nobody has monopoly of violence! You keep waving violence at us as if you alone own it. You DON’T! Body bags we already are used to in APC government! Zamfara bled yesterday. They have been bleeding. We all have bled!!!

@Odumake: El Rufai says International Observers during election will ho back in BODY BAGS. That is, they will kill oyibos that came to Nigeria to “interfere” in our elections.

@Tobi_Flink: Guys, Rufai must not be a President for one day.

@chosensomto: El Rufai is threatening foreign countries that protected him when he ran on exile, with body bags. He’s not very smart; I wonder who will take him this time. @elrufai and his family should be placed on travel ban by peace-loving countries.

EU Election Observers’ Reactions

The European Union (EU) election observer group have reacted to El-Rufai’s threat saying that the threat will not stop them from monitoring the upcoming general elections.

Accoring to Premium Times, the team issued a statement saying:

“We are aware of the comments from the Governor of Kaduna about non-interference by foreigners during a talk show on the elections, Tuesday 5 February.

“The EU only deploys and election observation mission when it is invited to do so by the authorities of the country. The EU has been invited to observe all of the general elections in Nigeria since 1999. Thus, this is the sixth time the EU is observing elections in Nigeria.

“The Independent National Electoral Commission invited the EU to deploy an observation mission for the 2019 general elections.

“EU election observation missions give commentary and analysis, and make recommendations about the electoral process. EU election observation missions are impartial, do not interfere in the electoral process, and operate according to strict code of conduct…EU observers will continue their work across the country in the runup to – and beyond – 16 February elections.

“For the last month, the mission’s team in Abuja, as well as 40-long team of observers across the country, have followed the elections…the mission looks at all aspects of the election, including the campaign tone, the transparency of the election administration, the neutrality of security forces, and the independence of the judiciary”.