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Tag: Shiites

  • JUST IN: Pandemonium as Soldiers, Shi’ites clash in Abuja 

    JUST IN: Pandemonium as Soldiers, Shi’ites clash in Abuja 

    Members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) and soldiers clashed on Thursday afternoon resulting to gun battle at the popular Banex Plaza, Abuja. 

    The clash occurred just hours after the United States Embassy in Nigeria issued a security alert, warning its citizens about planned IMN protests in Abuja and other major cities on Friday.

    In the advisory, the US Embassy cautioned that demonstrations could lead to disruptions such as roadblocks, traffic congestion, and possible confrontations.

    Read Also: Four feared killed, officers, others injured as Police, Shi’ites clash in Kaduna

    “The Islamic Movement of Nigeria has called for demonstrations in Abuja and other major cities on Friday, March 28, 2025. Heavy traffic and other disruptions are possible. Based on past occurrences, protests may involve roadblocks, checkpoints, traffic congestion, and physical confrontations,” the embassy stated.

    The security warning listed potential protest locations, including Banex Plaza, Berger Junction, Unity Fountain, the National Human Rights Commission Head Office, Eagle Square, Area 10 Shopping Plaza, the National Mosque, Al-Noor Mosque, and Fouad Lababidi Mosque.

    Details of the incident is sketchy as at when filing this report. 

    Efforts to get the reaction of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Police Public Relations Officer, SO Josephine Adeh were futile as call and messages put across were not responded to. 

    Details shortly…… 

  • Kaduna bombing: Shiites demand justice for victims of attack

    Kaduna bombing: Shiites demand justice for victims of attack

    The Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) has expressed sorrow over the accidental bombing of Tudun Biri in the Igabi local government area of Kaduna state by the Nigerian Army on Sunday, which killed at least eighty-five civilians in the village.

    It was said that the incident happened on Sunday night during the annual Maulud festival, which drew hundreds of residents.

    The governor of Kaduna state announced in a statement on Monday that the Nigerian Army has admitted to dropping the bomb, calling it “an unfortunate and unintended attack.”

    A movement member named Sheikh Sidi Munir Mainasara Sokoto made a statement on Tuesday on behalf of the IMN, urging a comprehensive probe to determine the cause of the atrocity.

    Read Also: Kaduna bombing embarrassment for Army, Nigeria – Peter Obi

    The movement made the following demands: “All people of conscience should come out publicly to condemn these atrocities and demand justice for the people of Tudun Biri. The perpetrators of this massacre should be identified, investigated, and prosecuted.

     “An investigation should be conducted to ascertain what happened, the number of people killed or injured, and the losses incurred by the people of Tudun Biri as a result of this massacre.

    “The Nigerian Army, Kaduna State Government, and the federal government of Nigeria should pay compensation to the families of victims of the Tudun Biri massacre.”

  • El-Zakzaky’s group is fake, says Shi’ites group

    Factional Shi’ite’s organisation, Al-Thaqalayn Cultural Foundation, has described the Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky-led Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) as a fake movement.

    The group urged the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to desist from using the IMN crises to make Nigeria another testing ground for their struggle for regional supremacy.

    It said IMN was not synonymous to Shi’ism “and neither of the two is interchangeable”.

    Secretary General of the factional Shi’ite’s group, Sheikh Hamza Muhammad Lawal, who spoke at a news conference in Kaduna on Tuesday, said he was once a member of IMN between 1981 and 2000, after he returned from Qum, Islamic Republic of Iran, where he studied Theology.

    According to him, “IMN started in the late 1970s as a socio-cultural and politico-religious revivalist movement, drawing its inspiration and taking its cue from essentially Sunni activists from countries like Egypt and Pakistan.

    Read Also: Why we named IMN terrorist group, by IG

    “It was an offshoot of the Muslim Students Society (MSS), and its birth coincided with the inception of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, which gave it a living and contemporary example of what it was yearning for, and therefore it got attracted and gravitated to its political message.

    “When the leader of IMN, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, became a Shiite afterwards, he fell into the dilemma of either abandoning his Sunni revivalist movement or risking the possibility of losing his followers, or continuing with the movement with all its Sunni content but a Shi’ite face. He chose the latter, and that has been his undoing.

    “Sheikh El-Zakzaky has not been able to complete his process of migration from Sunni activism to Shiite evangelism. His movement is a curious hybrid and a concoction, a dangerously unstable cocktail of incoherent and disorganised hallucinations and fantasies that only exist in their wildest dreams. In fact, when push comes to shove and a critical study of IMN is done, it may turn out that it is much, much closer to Sunni Islam.

    “The press should, therefore, seriously note this and start calling IMN by the name it has given itself, IMN. The press is thus hereby called upon to appreciate the difference between IMN and Shi’ism. IMN is not another name for Shi’ism. The two are neither synonymous nor interchangeable.”

    He, however, appealed to the Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufa’i to use his good office and withdraw the case against Sheikh El Zakzaky in the Kaduna High Court.

  • Why we named IMN terrorist group, by IG

    The Police have shed more light on why the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) was proscribed.

    Inspector General (IG) Mohammed Adamu, during a meeting with other senior police officers in Abuja, highlighted the reasons for the proscription.

    Adamu said the IMN was “pledging allegiance to foreign countries from where they are enjoying political, financial and training support with the aim of advancing their destabilising intents within Nigeria”.

    Other reasons include: “Unauthorised blocking of public highways, engagement in illegal roadblocks, imposition of illegal curfews and checkpoints, raids on security assets, prevention of arrest of their members, invasion of court premises to abort legal proceedings involving IMN members, refusal to submit to ordinary security checks and attacks on security agents, which led to the death of several Nigerians;

    “Setting up of a para-military guard known as ‘HURRAS’ through which IMN has been terrorising local residents. They have also instituted unregistered security outfits and performed paramilitary ceremonies, hoisting of flags, combat exercises, parades and inspection by the IMN leader reminiscent of a state authority;

    “Provocative preaching and hate speeches aimed at inciting members against non-members while working towards its agenda of creating an Islamic State in Nigeria and challenging the legitimacy of the Federal Government in favour of Islamic government, non-recognition of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, non-recognition of state authority, non-recognition of our democratic values and disrespect for our judicial processes.”

    The police boss added: “The IMN has over the years manifested its penchant for launching attacks on Nigerians and the symbols of state authority. Since 2018 till date, the IMN has engaged in coordinated and organised violent protests within the Federal Capital Territory.

    Read Also: MURIC endorses proscription of Shiites

    “Two weeks ago, the IMN extended its violent protest on July 9, 2019 to the National Assembly in the course of which they violently attacked and fatally injured security operatives in an attempt to overrun the National Assembly and threaten the nation’s democratic order.

    “The protesters overwhelmed the first gate of the complex, inflicting damage on the security post, and marched on to the second one just before the main complex while the lawmakers were in session. The protesters also damaged a police vehicle and several other vehicles belonging to visitors, lawmakers and staff of the National Assembly, who also sustained varying degrees of injuries.

    The IG added that on July 22, 2019, the IMN members again launched another vicious cycle of violent protest around the Federal secretariat during which they set a sub-station of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) containing a truck and an ambulance on fire.

    According to the police boss, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, Usman Umar, in charge of Operations at the FCT Police Command and Precious Owolabi, a National Youth Service Corp member in the FCT, were killed and several others injured with many properties destroyed by them.

    “The violent activities of IMN under the guise of clamouring for the release of their leader, who is being detained on the order of a court of competent jurisdiction in Kaduna State, has not only confirmed their disdain for due legal processes, but has heightened tension and insecurity in the country in a manner that confirms that their motivation is to destabilise the country.

    But, Catholic Archbishop of Abuja Cardinal John Onayeikan on Tuesday described the proscription of the Shi’ite movement by the Federal Government as an error.

    What this meant, Onaiyekan said, is that other religious beliefs in the country are under threat as the government could simply obtain a court order and proscribe them.

    He said this while speaking to reporters in Abuja on the schedule for the celebration of his 50th priestly ordination and the launch of a book  in his honour titled, ‘Thy will be done: A portrait of John Cardinal Onaiyekan,’ slated for tomorrow.

    The cleric  said Nigerians must press the government to respect the rights of religious groups to exist and operate in the country.

    He also complained that the 43 ministerial nominees confirmed by the Senate are too many to run government.

    His words: “The proscription portrays us as a country where government can wake up one day, get a court order from nowhere that a particular religious group is proscribed. If we allow that to go, it means Catholics and my own religion too can be proscribed any day by any government who manages to get any judge to issue an ex-parte or non ex-parte order.”

    The cleric stressed that the security situation had worsened in the last five years under the current administration, noting that Nigerians were no longer safe on the roads.

  • Shiites: Head or tail, we loose

    Sir: I will start my admonition using the popular theoretical framework of the trolley problem – a thought experiment in ethics.

    The general form of the problem is this: You see a runaway trolley moving toward five tied-up (or otherwise incapacitated) people lying on the tracks. You are standing next to a lever that controls a switch. If you pull the lever, the trolley will be redirected onto a sidetrack, and the five people on the main track will be saved. However, there is a single person lying on the sidetrack. You have two options: Do nothing and allow the trolley to kill the five people on the main track, or, pull the lever, diverting the trolley onto the sidetrack where it will kill one person.

    This theory has several variations but the core of it, remains which is the more ethical option?

    Again, we are faced with a problem that is societal cum religious and we are using the sledgehammer. Are Shiites different from IPOB, or same with OPC? we are treading that path of lose/lose, because we have not dealt with the real concerns.

    What does Shiite mean in Islam? what is the difference between Sunnis and Shiites? What do Shiites believe in? Where are the Sunnis and Shiites fighting? In Nigeria, what are the issues?

    We are largely ignorant of the issues we are faced with. We are playing politics with leadership. Whether closet Shiites or the protesting ones, they are everywhere. Many Nigerians don’t actually know of any sect or doctrinal division in the practice of Islam. Many do not know the ideological drive of these people, but we are embarking on a familiar terrain of tackling a problem without addressing it.

    Like the trolley questions, the Shiites is one that raises ethical questions. Many do not know why El-Zakaky is being held, and others know but don’t care.

    Do they deserve the rights to protest? Why is government incapable of speedily prosecuting El-Zakzaky? What role does Iran play here and what is the Nigerian state’s position? If the leader of the Shiite’s dies in detention, what does it portend?

    Is the rushed proscription an answer? Why does all these on an indifferent glance look like a reenactment of Boko Haram? Are the Shiites armed, deadly; are the government and its security agencies violating human rights. A sizable population are ignorant or indifferent. Are we looking at the ideal? Is this crisis being looked at with any introspection? What do we know: a youth corps member has paid the ultimate price; who will investigate the death of the senior cop that was shot? When two wrongs don’t equate a right, it remains a head you lose, a tail you still lose.

     

    • Prince Charles Dickson, PhD,

    pcdbooks@gmail.com

  • Shiites: Another Boko Haram in the making?

    The incessant deadly clashes between government troops, police force and Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), known as Shi’ite Muslim, have raised fears that another conflict is about to get out of hand in the country.

    However, recently the table has turned, the table turned because events have shown that there is a conspiracy to emasculate the police to the advantage of law breakers. After all, before now, for a group of people to embark on any procession that is likely to affect the freedom and business of members of the public, they must apply to the police to enable the police plan, monitor and prevent hoodlums from hijacking such protests.

    President Muhammadu Buhari’s government stands accused of abusing human rights and oppressing a minority group after clashes every now and then, especially between the Shi’ite group and the government, in which scores of people were killed including a Channel TV journalist, Precious Owolabi, and deputy commissioner of Police, Usman Umar. Shi’ites’ problem is the continuing detention of their leader, Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, and shooting and killing many of their members by the police force in the process of calling on government to free their leader, who has been in detention since December 2015.

    Nigerians all over the country are increasingly worried that the IMN could turn into a second Boko Haram. Though the movement itself denies any plans to take up arms. IMN spokesman, Ibrahim Musa, has said it before now, rejecting analogies between his movement and Boko Haram. He further stated that the Islamic Movement is guided by and led by the principle of Islam, and Islam is a religion of peace. And perhaps, only calls on people to understand it, that it doesn’t force people to follow its doctrines and ideologies.

    We should be recalled that Boko Haram also started as a non-violent group that now turned deadly after its leader, Muhammad Yusuf, was killed by the police in 2009. And since then, the central authorities have learned nothing from what happened in the north east. Instead of listening to these people and trying to address their problems, they come up and start shooting people, and radicalising the group will only lead to more violence and aggravate their militancy, maiming and killing of people including the military forces.

    However, it has now come to a stage where dialogue alone will not be enough to solve a problem which has international dimension and undertones. I have no doubts that Saudi Arabia and Iran are engaged in a proxy war in Northern Nigeria, as they are in Yemen.

    For me, responsibility lies primarily with the Nigerian government. The government must follow the rule of law and comply with court ruling that ordered El-Zakzay and his wife be released. The cleric, who is in his mid-sixties, has lost the sight in one eye during the 2015 clashes, and has only been seen in public twice or thrice since he was detained by the Department of Security Services (DSS). What are they doing in the custody of DSS for four years, after he has been granted bail by two or three separate courts of the country? He and his wife are said to be in poor health.

    By Ademola Orunbon Abeokuta, Ogun State.

  • Shiites protest, Ministerial list, Dakolo’s House invasion, others top this week’s news

    This week, the country, was abuzz with many activities comprising both pleasant and unpleasant events.

    However, events like the protest by members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) which turned violent on Monday in Abuja and the Buhari’s Ministerial list topped major activities in the country this week.

    Shiites Protest, Buhari’s Ministerial list, Dakolo’s House invasion, Edo Assembly Crisis and other controversial news dominated the socio-political discourse this week. The Nation brings you a brief round-up of the major stories this week. Alao Abiodun Reports

    Below are some of the events:

    Shiites Protest

    A protest by members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) turned violent on Monday in Abuja.

    The protesters clashed with security agencies close to the Federal Secretariat in the Nigerian capital.

    On Monday, the Shiites had begun a protest at Nitel junction and were expected to end at the secretariat.

    During the protest, government vehicles including those owned by the emergency management agency were burnt by the aggrieved protesters.

    Some other sources alleged that the Shiites threw petrol bombs as part of the protest.

    A Deputy Commissioner of Police, Usman Umar, in charge of Operations at the Federal Capital Territory Police Command, was shot dead during the protest

    Also a member of the National Youth Service Corps reporting for Channels TV was hit by a stray bullet as many more were injured during alleged exchange of fire between the sect and security forces.

    The reporter, Precious Owolabi, was rushed to the National Hospital, Garki, where he later died on Monday evening.

    Read Also: Ministerial list: Women in Politics decry low female representation

    This protest comes about two weeks after two Shiites were killed and two police officers injured after a similar protest turned violent at the National Assembly complex in Abuja.

    The Shiites are demanding the release of their leader, Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, who has been in detention for alleged murder since December 2015.

    Buhari’s Ministerial list

    President Muhammadu Buhari officially forwarded his list of ministerial nominees to the Senate.

    This was made known by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, who read out the president’s letter at plenary on Tuesday.

    The president appointed a total of 43 ministers from the 36 states and Abuja.

    Among the appointees are former Akwa Ibom State governor, Godswill Akpabio, senior lawyer Festus Keyamo, ex-Benue governor George Akume and 40 other nominees.

    The president also retained Babatunde Fashola, Chris Ngige and a few other returnee ministers.

    The appointments were made across the six geopolitical zones.

    However, the screening exercises has commenced on Wednesday.

    Nominees who have previously served in the upper and lower legislative chambers of the National Assembly as well as in a State House of Assembly were not questioned by senators, as is tradition, and were simply asked to ‘take a bow’ and leave after they were introduced.

    Dakolo’s House invasion

    In another News story, information broke that the residence of gospel musician, Timi Dakolo, was invaded by police officers.

    Armed policemen reportedly stormed the residence of Dakolos to take them to the police headquarters in Abuja.

    Following a public outcry, the police later said the visit was to invite Busola Dakolo for an investigation of matters of criminal conspiracy, falsehood, mischief and threat to life.

    Busola had accused Biodun Fatoyinbo, the founder of Commonwealth of Zion Assembly, commonly (COZA) of raping her when she was a teenager.

    Fatoyinbo repeatedly denied all the allegations.

    However, The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has ordered that petitions from the Senior Pastor of the Commonwealth of Zion Assembly in Abuja, Biodun Fatoyinbo, and Mr and Mrs Timi Dakolo, be merged and investigated at the Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Alagbon, Ikoyi, Lagos.

    Edo Assembly Crisis

    As the Edo Assembly crisis continues to linger on, the House of Representatives, acting on a motion moved by a member from Edo, Julius Ihonvbere, last week set up the Abdurazak Namdas-led panel to probe the Assembly crisis and make recommendations.

    It should be recalled that the state Assembly had been inaugurated in controversial circumstances on June 17 after nine out of 24 members-elect elected Frank Okiye as Speaker at 9 pm.

    This week, Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo state and the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, met at the presidential villa, Abuja.

    The duo have been at loggerheads in recent times, they shook hands at the presidential villa on Wednesday, July 24.

    The reason the duo have been at loggerhead is due to an ongoing crisis rocking the Edo state House of Assembly.

    The governor and his predecessor stood together after the presidential policy retreat at the presidential villa on Wednesday, July 24.

    New UK PM Boris Johnson

    In the foreign scene, Boris Johnson has been appointed as the new prime minister of the United Kingdom after Theresa May stood down over her failure to lead Britain out of the European Union (Brexit).

    Johnson, 55, was appointed to the premiership by Queen Elizabeth II in a formal meeting at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday.

    His elevation to the UK’s highest political office was a formality after being announced on Tuesday as the winner of an internal ruling Conservative Party leadership contest involving a ballot of the party’s some 160,000 members.

    Boris Johnson immediately launched a clear-out of ministers, taking the numbers either sacked or resigned to more than a dozen, and has promoted Sajid Javid to chancellor, Priti Patel to home secretary and Dominic Raab to foreign secretary.

    During his speech, Johnson pledged to renegotiate the withdrawal agreement brokered during months of arduous negotiations between May and EU leaders or leave the bloc on the UK’s scheduled departure date of October 31 without a deal.

  • NASS invasion: Police arraign 38 Shi’ite members

    The FCT Police Command on Thursday arraigned 38 members of the El-Zakzakky Islamic Movement of Nigeria in Abuja court.

    28 of them were arraigned in Magistrate court in Wuse Zone 6 while 10 were arraigned in Magistrate court in Wuse Zone 2.

    Magistrate Ahmed Ndajiw and Magistrate Mohammed Ibrahim of Wuse Zone 6 court granted 28 of them bail with conditions.

    10 according to the Magistrate in Wuse Zone 2 are to be kept in a conducive facility outside Police cell.

    The Police said two out of the 40 that were arrested were screened out during investigation.

    Their arraignment came after some members of the group were arrested on Tuesday following their forceful invasion of the National Assembly.

    Their invasion left nine Policemen injured and several vehicles destroyed.

    The first information report was read in English and interpreted in Hausa language to the defendants at court 13 of the Magistrate Court in Wuse Zone 2.

    They were charged with the following offences; criminal conspiracy, mischief, unlawful Assembly, obstruction of public servant in the discharge of duty, rioting armed with deadly weapons, causing grievous hurt, disturbance of public peace, assault or criminal force to determine public servant from discharge of his duty contrary to section 97, 326, 149, 107, 243, 113, and 264 of the Penal Code.

    The report further reads: “That on 9/ 7/2019 at about 1300hrs, a team of Policemen led by DPO National Assembly Police station SP Umar Sabo Abdullahi, while in the performance of their official duty, they came across you and others at large who formed a common intention and were behaving in a riotous manner and in possession of dangerous weapons.

    “The DPO in the performance of his lawful duty ordered you to disperse but you forced yourselves into the national assembly, burnt and destroyed many vehicles. You equally snatched a gun from one Inspr. Ahmed Sani and caused grievous hurt on the following Police Officers; SP Umar Sabo Abdullahi, lnspr. Ahmed Sani, Cpl Mohammed Sarki and Cpl Joseph Abutu.

    “You also destroyed Police Post at the National Assembly, building of National Assembly and also shot at two Police Officers who are now lying critically ill at the hospital. You thereby committed the above offences.”

    The 10 defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    The Defence counsel, I.A Ishaq urged the court to grant them bail and also discharge and acquit the case on the ground that they denied the allegations.

    He said: “All the defendants denied allegation and in view of their denial, we humbly apply for their bail. We also urge the court to discharge and acquit them on the ground that they are minor and students from various schools. Nine out of the ten defendants are minor and students. The adult amongst them is 51 years old.”

    Read Also: Photos: Suspected Shi’ite members in Court

    But the Prosecution counsel, D.F. Abah argued that being a minor should not be an excuse to commit any crime. He also said it has been observed that the group makes conscious effort to use minor to cause havoc.

    He said they use minor and then argue when the case is brought to court that they are minor.

    He urged the court to remand them in facilities where minors are kept pending the determination of trial.

    The Magistrate, Senior Magistrate Egbe Raphael Joshua after listening to both parties denied the defendants bail.

    He adjourned the case to July 18, 2019, to rule on the bail application. Until then, the minors according to him will be kept in a conducive facility outside the police cell.

  • Shi’ites protest at National Assembly for El Zakzaky’s release

    Members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) popularly called Shi’ites, on Thursday besieged the National Assembly during a protest for the release of their leader, Sheikh Ibraheem El Zakzaky.

    The Shi’ites members carried various banners and posters with the pictures of El Zakzaky.

    Their presence led to the closure of the main gate to the National Assembly with a detachment of policemen surrounding the area to prevent the protesters from entering the complex.

    The sect’s spokesman Ibrahim Musa said there was a clear and present danger as the health of El Zakzaky had worsened.

    He said the group was demanding the immediate release of their leader from detention as he had allegedly been poisoned with lead.

    According to him, even if El Zakyzaky was released immediately, there would be need for him to have quick medical intervention to save his life.

    Musa said investigations by experts had revealed that the level of lead in the Muslim scholar’s blood was at a dangerous level.

    Read Also: Police, Shi’ites clash at National Assembly 

    But House Leader Alhassan Ado Doguwa, who met the protesters at the gate, assured them that their message would be relayed to appropriate quarters.

    Doguwa said: “This place, called the National Assembly, provides a window where you come and ventilate your concern and anger. But I assure you, I give you my commitment and the commitment of this institution, that we will address this issue that you raised.

    “And in promising you, I will collect the contacts of your leaders. And by the time I am able to convince my colleagues and superiors, we will get back to you and discuss further. This we will do with immediate alacrity.”

    Doguwa hailed members of the group for the peaceful manner they conducted themselves.

    Recall that El-Zakzaky, has been in detention since December 2015 and has remained in detention since sequel to a clampdown on his members by soldiers.

    He had been charged for alleged conspiracy, abating culpable homicide, among other offences. In spite of a December 2016 order for his release by the court, the government has failed to release him, prompting incessant protests by his members.

  • Shiites’ unending protests

    •The Federal Govt should respect court orders and release el-Zakzaky

    On April 24, 2019, members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), the umbrella body of Nigeria ‘s Shiite Muslims made their presence felt, once again, in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, as they protested the continued detention of their leader, Ibrahim el-Zakzaky and his wife, and demanded for their immediate release. Massing at the gate of the National Assembly complex, the Shiites, numbering about 2,000, reportedly overwhelmed the security on duty and gained access into the premises chanting ‘Allahu Akbar’ and singing solidarity songs. This development forced the members of the House of Representatives who were sitting in plenary, to abruptly adjourn proceedings.

    It is instructive that despite the ban on the so-called unlawful public processions and the imposition of heavy security measures, it has been impossible to suppress the persistent demonstrations by members of the IMN demanding what they perceive as justice for their embattled leader. The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command of the Nigeria Police Force must be commended for successfully bringing the situation under control without any arrests or casualties.

    Several other protests of the group in the FCT had been curtailed only after the use of massive force, with disastrous consequences. For example, in October, last year, about 45 lives were reportedly lost in clashes between the Shiites and the security agencies in the FCT and neighbouring Nasarawa State. In another incidence in January, 2019, the protesters massed at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, taking advantage of a meeting between the minister and the diplomatic community on the 2019 polls to draw attention to their cause.

    It is of course obvious that these frequent protests in the country’s federal capital severely harm the image of Nigeria in a globalised world when such occurrences are lavishly projected in the global media. Those opposed to the theology and methods of the Shiites movement in Nigeria condemn what they perceive as its intolerance, overzealousness, as well as a seeming penchant for lawlessness in an alleged bid to create a state within a state. Surely, no serious government will tolerate that. Even then, the disproportionate show of force by the Nigerian military, leading to the alleged massacre of hundreds of Shiites, during a clash in Zaria, Kaduna State, in 2015, is inexcusable.

    That incident led to the clampdown on the Shiites and the indefinite detention of their leader and his wife. Ironically, it is the supposedly lawless Shiites who are now standing on the platform of adherence to the rule of law and due process to demand the release of el-Zakzaky. This is because of the government’s continued defiance of at least three court orders to release the IMN leader. Government can certainly not afford to be seen fighting lawlessness with lawlessness, thus vitiating its moral authority.

    The Shiites have grown more intense and daring in their protests the longer El-Zakzaky has been kept in detention. This is partly because of reports of the preacher’s ill health in prison and his need for urgent medical attention that he is unlikely to get in detention. It is important, in this regard, for the government to be reminded of how the fledgling Boko Haram was allowed to fester into today’s monster, following the extra-judicial killing of its founder, Mohammed Yusuf, by the police authorities.  El-Zakzaky should not be allowed to become a martyr in prison. The consequences could be disastrous, particularly for a country currently struggling to contain diverse forms of extremist violence.

    We urge the Federal Government to quickly return to the path of lawfulness by respecting subsisting court orders for the release, not just of El-Zakzaky and his wife, but also former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd) who has also been languishing in indefinite detention, as a result of government’s continued  violation of court orders.