The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Islamic Movement of Nigeria

  • US denies disrupting El-Zakzaky’s treatment in India

    The United States (US) has described as baseless the allegation raised by the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) that it colluded with the federal government to disrupt the treatment of their leader in India.

    IMN leader Ibrahim El-Zakzaky travelled to India to receive medical care as ordered by a Kaduna High Court.

    But he has since returned to Nigeria without receiving any medical treatment following what the Federal Government described as antics by the IMN leader to embarrass the the nation.

    The group on Wednesday quoted a source as saying that before the sheikh Zakzaky’s arrival at New Delhi’s Madental Hospital, officials from American Embassy in India had “threatened” the hospital’s management not to admit the clergyman.

    Read Also: El-Zakzaky planned asylum in India, FG alleges

    “Even as the doctors were enthusiastically waiting to receive the Sheikh to save his life, the American secret agents have threatened the hospital officials not to go ahead to treat the sheikh at the hospital,” the group claimed.

    But the embassy dismissed thr claim saying it has no comment on the baseless allegations.

    The embassy in a response to an inquiry by our reporter on the allegation  raised by the group on Wednesday stated that US hold highly human rights and fundamental freedoms of all citizens.

    “The Embassy of the United States to Nigeria has no comment on these baseless allegations.  We will state that promoting, protecting, and advancing human rights and fundamental freedoms continues to be a top priority for the United States.  The right to exercise one’s freedom of thought, conscience, and religion is a universal human right and bedrock American principle,” the Embassy stated.

  • Expel Amnesty International before we put on our rage – group

     

    Expel Amnesty International before we put on our rage – CSOs tell President Buhari over foreign interest to destabilize Nigeria

     

    The Concerned Citizens’ Conference on Monday marked the 4th day of its total occupation of Amnesty International Office in Abuja to demand its expulsion of the from Nigeria.

     

     

    The CSOs vowed not to stop until the international organization leaves the country.

     

    According to the group, some foreign agencies were plotting to destabilize the country.

     

     

    Danelsi Momoh, National Secretary, who spoke on behalf of the protesters, saod Amnesty International took it upon itself to be the face of some agents of destabilization at it has continually issued statements and tweeted support for the organizers of #RevolutionNow Movement.

    He called on President Buhari to expel Amnesty International NOW or they would be forced to turn our rage against the NGO.

     

    His speech below.

     

    Dear compatriots, in recent days Nigeria has been confronted with a new brand of terrorism that is being packaged as activism. This cover of activism has been stretched to bestow a toga of respectability to terrorist organizations like the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN); we believe that Boko Haram elements, bandits and killer herdsmen are part of the protests being planned by this alliance or rebranded terrorists working with a bitter opposition.

    Amnesty International took it upon itself to be the face of these terrorists. It has continually issued statements and tweeted support for the organizers of #RevolutionNow Movement even when it is apparent that their protest is an amalgam of organizations that have been properly proscribed as terrorist organizations or members of the opposition.

    Since we began this protest to occupy Amnesty International’s office here in Abuja, we have taken time to investigate the social media handles of the officials of the NGO. We did this following the belligerent way they insisted on staying back so that they can complete their evil plot in Nigeria. What we discovered in the private social media handles of Amnesty international’s staffers is troubling and worrisome – their account showed individuals whose personal views are jaundiced to the point that they are openly anti-Buhari and counter-Nigeria. We saw on their walls posts that were cynical of every move the government makes and even the seemingly objective ones of their posts were laden with innuendoes that are derisive of the country and its government.  How then can such people or the organization they represent pretend at being neutral or objective?

    It is equally ironic that Amnesty International is vocally supportive of  protests that are branded and promoted as ‘Days f Rage’ to challenge hallucinatory bad government by people with criminal and terrorist backgrounds but the same NGO dismissed our protest at its office for meddlesomeness in Nigeria’s affairs as government sponsored. This clearly exposes the double standard that has always been the hallmark of an organization that brags about being interested in human rights adherence. By the same token that its clients can occupy the streets in violent and murderous protests we, as Nigerians, have the right to be present here as expression of our grievances against the injury being caused to our country.

    Let us not lose sight of the facts of events up until this moment. One of Amnesty International’s clients, one Omoyele Sowore, who scored a few thousands votes as a presidential candidate in the last elections, openly called for Nigerians to join the protests with inciting comments like “except Nigerians bond together and bundle these guys out of our national space we are wasting our time” and “August 5 we are shutting down Nigeria” in apparent reference to forcefully overthrowing a democratically elected government. These threats and others that included destruction of some security organizations are the what Amnesty International is describing as “freedom of expression”. Sadly, some otherwise highly respected individuals have been parroting the NGO’s twisted position because they erroneously believe it is objective as per its international branding.

    We have our fears. If this is the definition of freedom of expression it is a matter of time before some people start calling for the assassination of the opposition figure and some fanatics will carry out the act in an even shorter span of time. When this happens the likes of Amnesty International will accuse the government of carrying out the attacks. The risk of such accusation pales in significance when compared to the danger of Nigeria going up in a conflagration, which is consistent with what this so called international organization has always wanted.

    On this fourth day of our occupation of Amnesty International’s offices in Abuja. We want to call attention to four things:

    “Amnesty International has track record of lying dating back to when it used a rehearsed actress as a witness to justify lies that Iraqi troops were throwing neonates out of incubators in Kuwait. It never walked back that lie. Such questionable means of gathering evidence is responsible for the growing suicide rate among its staff. “

    “Amnesty International is complicit in the affairs of countries that have failed or presently in turmoil today. An organization that can facilitate the ongoing pogrom in Yemen and still be resolute in creating new failed states should not be welcome in any self loving nation on earth.”

    “The financiers of Amnesty International are questionable individuals and organizations. The list include weapon manufacturers that are eager to have new wars and the resultant clients as well as opposition figures that are desperate to gain power through transition, interim or government of national unity as is the case of Atiku Abubakar and Omoyele Sowore in Nigeria”

    “There have been countries that successfully  expelled Amnesty International from their jurisdiction in the past. The reason for the expulsions is no different from the crime Amnesty International has been committing in Nigeria. Morocco once expelled the organization while Israel has expelled its affiliates. “

    “These for us are enough reasons not to have this monster in our country. Its output can only be pure evil and the longer it stays among us the more malevolent its evil will be.”

    Since we have passed the half mark in the deadline we gave Amnesty International to leave our country or be thrown out, we are directing our attention to the government because we believe it can send this organization out of Nigeria without waiting for us to unleash our own version of Day of Rage against the dubious organization. We are as a result using today’s protest to call on President Muhammadu Buhari and the Ministry of Justice of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to do the needful now.

    We have in the preceding three days defied the element – rain and the sun – to hold this protests against the evil taking up quarters in Nigeria. We are ready to sacrifice even more to defend the interest of Nigeria at all times and we will never stop to bring to the notice of authorities those that do not mean well for Nigeria.

    Our law enforcement agencies must rise to the occasion. It is not enough to arrest insurrectionists, it is important to trace their connections to the other variables in the plot to destabilize Nigeria. They must therefore investigate financial and communications connections between the RevolutionNow leaders and Amnesty International with a view to prosecuting and jailing any of its staffers that are directly involved in the plot to overthrow the government. This should extend to investigating the funding of Amnesty International and how they spend their money to ascertain the various clandestine operations they run against the county.

    We conclude our outing today by demanding that Mr. President appreciate the imperative of not sitting on the fence whilst corporate terrorists destroy the fabrics of our unity and peaceful co-existence. Amnesty International officials in Nigeria have an agenda to overthrow his democratically elected government in the country and it is a plot that is now at an advanced stage given the boldness with which its executioners now take to the streets to implement their plan.

    All the recent activities of Amnesty International is to force the government into inaction so that the coup plotters can carry on undeterred. This has to stop.

     

    Mr. President, you must expel Amnesty International NOW or we will be forced to turn our rage against the NGO.

  • El-Zakzaky: Shi’ite Members Protest at NHRC Headquarters over Police brutality

    Members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) also known as Shi’ite, on Thursday, met with the the National Human Right Commission (NHRC) to intercede on what they described as unlawful prosecution of their leader, Sheik Ibrahim El-Zakzaky.

    The group who staged a peaceful protest in Maitama District, Abuja, prevented vehicular movements in the axis, while some youth were seen chanting songs with placards.

    Speaking with the NHRC Executive Secretary, Tony Ojukwu, at the NHRC Headquarters, the protesters accused Police of injuring 23 members of the IMN in Kaduna with live ammunitions among which 10 were arrested.

    Representative of the group, Abdullahi Musa blamed the Police officials for using live ammunitions on protesters also at the district in Abuja.

    He told Ojukwu that, “The Police has continued to violate our right for peaceful gathering. Yesterday, they opened fire on us with live ammunition in Kaduna, 23 people were confirmed injured. They arrested 10 of the injured people and we have only 13 of them with us receiving treatment.”

    Read Also: Police to prosecute Shi’ites

    “These are some of the ammunitions the police used,” he added sharing pictures of the gun wounds and ammunition shells with the NHRC executive secretary.

    According to him, as at the time of filing official complaint to the ES, members of the islamic sect are being shot by the Police along Ahmadu Bello way in Kaduna.

    “They have shot a lot of people right now as i’m talking to you and the carnage continues,” he added.

    He accused the Federal Government of prosecuting leader of the group for murder case in Kaduna State High Court.

    Musa tasked President Muhammadu Buhari to free their leader, Sheik Ibrahim, who had been in detention since December, 2015.

    In his remarks, Ojukwu emphasised on the right of every Nigerian to embark on peaceful demonstration.

    He described it as a constitutional right which the NHRC is ready to protect the aggrieved group as long as the demonstration is peaceful.

    “We will stand with you as long as you are peaceful. Nobody has any right to use live ammunition on anybody carrying out a peaceful demonstration. We want to urge you to continue to be peaceful because the truth must come to light one day,” Ojukwu said.

    However, he urged the protesters to remain peaceful no matter the level of provocation with promises to engage the right authority on their petition.

    He said since El-Zakzaky had been charged to court, his members should await the court judgement stressing that no citizen is above the law.

    “It is good that somebody is taken to court than to be perpetually kept in detention because in court, unless you prove a case beyond every reasonable doubt, nothing can be done. All you need is to put evidences together, get a good lawyer and put across your case,” Ojukwu added.

    The protesters later dispersed upon Ojukwu’s advise.

  • Again, release El-Zakzaky

    The clash between members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), otherwise known as Shiites, and security forces in Abuja earlier in the week, leading to loss of lives and destruction of properties further blight our democracy. Across the democratic world, the right to a peaceful assembly and protest are fundamental ethos of democracy, and the 1999 constitution (as amended) fully provides for these rights, of course, as long as it is peaceful.

    Section 40 provides: “every person shall be entitled to assemble freely and associate with other persons, and in particular he may form or belong to any political party, trade union or any other association for the protection of his interests.” By this provision the gathering of members of IMN is constitutional, same with their desire “to manifest and propagate his (their) religion or belief in worship, teaching, practice and observance,” which is guaranteed by section 38.

    The reason for their gathering, to press the Federal Government to release their incarcerated leader, Sheik Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, is also legitimate. On this page, we have joined our voice to demand for the release of El-Zakzaky, after the court granted him bail. We restate that the continued detention of the Shiite leader is a violent abuse of the fundamental rights of the detainee under the extant laws of our country, particularly the provisions of sections 34, 35 and 36 of the constitution.

    But having said that, El-Zakzaky should be released without further delay; his followers are entitled to protest his continued unlawful incarceration. We are worried that by the way members of Shiites (IMN) carry out their protests, they fall into the narrative of the Sunni Moslems that they are lawless. While fundamentalism per say is not unlawful, a practice of it that leads to violence and which fails to recognise the secular laws of the country is unlawful.

    Perhaps because the Shiites are historically associated with Iran and parts of Iraq which are viewed by dominant western media as violent, and considering that amongst Muslims in Nigeria, their sect is ultra-minority, they are treated with disdain. Perhaps those historical exigencies put them perpetually in conflict with the dominant Sunni sect in Nigeria, and as such they are primarily targeted, we don’t know. But whatever may be the underlining challenges, we urge the Federal Government to deal with the sect dispassionately in accordance with the law.

    To that extent, the Federal Government should release the Shiite leader as ordered by the court, unless it is able to secure a legitimate order of a superior court to continue the detention. As a democratic government premised on the rule of law, the government cannot give itself out as one that does not obey the laws of the land. The provision of section 6(6)(b) of the constitution which gives the law court the preeminent position to determine “any question as to the civil rights and obligations” of citizens in any dispute with the government is sacrosanct to the practice of rule of law.

    So, of what value is the continued detention of El-Zakzaky to the security of Nigeria? Is the unlawful detention not giving his members a genuine excuse to further compound the dire insecurity across the country? According to the police, the members turned violent and were attacking passersby and smashing vehicles. We condemn that, despite the unlawful detention of their leader and the effort by the security agencies to prevent them from protesting.

    While fundamental rights must be exercised lawfully, those exercising governmental powers must observe the rule of law. That is the balance that sustains democracy.

  • Designate IMN a terrorist group before it’s too late, Coalition cautions Federal Government, AGF.

    Designate IMN a terrorist group before it’s too late, Coalition cautions Federal Government, AGF.

    The Coalition Of Civil Society Organizations For Transparency and Good Governance (COCSOTGG), has called on the Presidency and the Attorney General of the Federation to act fast in designating the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, (IMN) a Terrorists group before it’s too late.

    The group said if care was not taken to curb the situation, IMN might snowball into another disaster in the country.

    COCSOTGG was reacting to the recent clash between police and some members of the Islamic movement who had gone to the unity fountain to protest the detention of their leader, El Zakzaky over acts of terrorism.

    The national president of COCSOTGG, Patriot Sabo Ode said Nigerians shall no longer accept the complacence of the AGF on the continuous existence of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria.

    According to him, it is a direct threat and danger to the peace-loving and law abiding citizens.

    He said, “We deserve to live and survive in our country, free of molestations or phobia of violence in whatever guise.”

    Ode said if the AGF fails to initiate the necessary action now, the IMN sect, which by the estimation of all right thinking members of the society, is worse than Boko Haram terrorists will re-enact the regime of bomb attacks in Abuja or elsewhere in Nigeria.

    His statement reads, “We are neither the least nor the most concerned about the security of our dear nation, Nigeria. But when we see national security drifting dangerously and fired with impunity by some violent sects, the dire consequences stare us in the face and, we are thus, prompted to voice out, as time has dictated at the moment.

    “We fanatically believe, it is our collective responsibility as people of a united federation called Nigeria to work towards those things that perch peace in our hearts and minds, neighborhood or anywhere in the country, than violence. So, our unadulterated convictions points to the natural understanding that violence solves no problem; but peace and dialogue are universal antidotes and, indisputably, the keys which prosper nations around the world. We reiterate that the extent or magnitude of bravado does not post any useful results to any of the parties in a rivalry.

    “Therefore, COCSOTGG was prompted into speaking to the Nigerian public again, because Nigerians appear to be very complacent with what we consider to be a thorough misbehavior, affront and assault on our dear nation, with the siege on Abuja in numbers, exceeding 10, 000 by Shiites members (IMN). Their leader, Shiek Ibrahim El-Zakzaky has taught them everything, except the rule of law or subordination to lawfully constituted authority and government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN).

    “We are not interested in scratching the bruises of old wounds and the damage to Nigeria, wrought on us by the IMN sect in the last 40 years, operating illegally and unregistered in Northern Nigeria. Even their fellow Muslims oppose them vehemently, faulting their style of public worship in lengthy processions, with assorted weapons, as strange, alien and unacceptable.

    “We have observed that members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, who though claim some religious activity, but are unfortunately, always combat-ready and striking any ideologically unaligned persons with awesome unprovoked violence and murder. And also, both leaders and adherents boldly profess allegiance to the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and affiliation with ISIS, as their mentors and sponsors of this bizarre version of Islamism in Nigeria. Iran is the most notorious terrorists’ nation in the world, which has “proudly” defied even the United Nations on promotion of terrorism.

    “Emboldened by this background, IMN sect members breach laws of the Nigerian federation with impunity and dares everybody, with a confounding recklessness or ruthlessness. From their Spiritual Head Sheik, El-Zakzaky to incensed aficionados, they all hunger to test their intolerable tempestuousness on the Nigerian public anytime, anywhere, so courageously.

    “We are not just worried, but concerned that members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria have consistently and persistently shown disregard to the laws of our country. What is of utmost concern to them is how to clandestinely impose another version of terrorism, garbed in the fake coats of Islam on the rest of us.

    “May we remind Nigerians that Boko Haram terrorism started, to paraphrase, President Muhammadu Buhari on his inaugural day speech to Nigerians, as “small fires, now causing large fires.” None of us is oblivious of the pains and sorrows inflicted on us by Boko Haram terrorists, because we allowed it blossomed, unchecked in celebration of some faulty and indiscernible liberties of democracy.
    “Displaying their familiar tradition in the week, just ended, IMN sect members again assailed Abuja in incredible thousands. Some media reports pegged the number as much as 10,000 sect members. Now, it’s rare to even have a presidential political rally in Abuja, boasting of this astounding crowd organized by IMN terrorists . How did anybody mobilize terrorists in such astonishing numbers into Abuja for a protest? Something must be amiss somewhere and some people delight in it.

    “It is the same siege they laid on Zaria City in Kaduna state. It is the same unlawful siege on Kano, Yobe or other states in the North. No one noticed the potential danger at the budding stage. And the Shiites sect expanded to what it is now, extending to Abuja, after Kaduna state Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai outlawed the sect at the state level.

    “In Abuja on their so-called “peaceful” protests, the IMN sect members did not only hurl insults and held the sovereignty of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to ransom and in contempt, but stoned the Police, the only civil security agency mandated by law to supervise their lawful protests. Police were compelled to necessarily use teargas canisters’ to disperse the unruly Shiites rented mob.”

    “The Coalition will be left with no option but to mobilize Nigerians against the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and to pass a vote of no confidence on him until he resigns from the office which he holds in trust for the rest of us. Enough is enough of the IMN threats which is already a negative signal within the FCT in view of their recklessness and violence posture to inflict pains on anyone without looking back.”

  • Update: Police arrest nine Shi’ite members

    The FCT police command has arrested nine people suspected to be members of a Shi’ite group, Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), during a protest in Abuja on Wednesday.

    The protesters, who marched to the Three Arms Zone in Abuja, were demanding the release of their spiritual leader, Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky.

    El- Zarzaky is currently being detained by the government following last year’s clash between the Shi’ite and the Nigerian Army in Zaria, Kaduna.

    Confirming the arrest on the telephone Wednesday, the FCT Police spokesman, Anjuguri Manzah, said the nine Shi’ite members have been transferred to the command’s Criminal Investigations Department for organizing violent and unlawful protests in the city.

    Manzah added that the group did not notify or get a police permit before embarking on the protest.

    He said the leaders of the protesters will be charged to court for unlawful assembly.

    “We arrested nine people based on their conduct and the fact that they were not peaceful in their protest. The command was not notified about the protest

    “Nine of them were arrested and they will be charged to court soon for unlawful conduct,” the police spokesman said.