The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Shiites

  • Shiites demand judicial panel to probe clash with soldiers

    The Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), aka Shiite Islamic sect,  yesterday urged the Federal Government to set up a judicial panel to probe its members’ clash with soldiers.

    In a statement, the Shiite said they have no confidence in the state government’s handling of the matter.

    They also criticised President Muhammadu Buhari’s condemnation of the group during his Wednesday’s media chat.

    The statement by IMN spokesman Ibrahim Musa said: “It is now over two weeks since the Army launched a coordinated brutal attack on members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria,  resulting in the killings of hundreds according to Western sources. But some sources even said more than a thousand people were killed by the Army in the Zaria massacre. President Buhari has been silent on the massacre until his yesterday’s (Wednesday’s) presidential media chat.

    “The President claimed they showed him a clip, based on which he passed his judgment. Did he ask those who showed him that propaganda video why were those protesting youths angry? What happened to the Natural Laws of Action and Reaction?”

    The statement in defence of the action of youths who blocked the road against the Army Chief said: “The protesting youths were angry because the Army killed their friends and brothers. They killed them as if they were flies. That video clip was after the first round of killing by the Army.”

    It also said the claim by the President that he will wait for the report of the Kaduna State government before commenting on the ‘Zaria massacre’ is mischievous to say the least.

    “Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has already declared and made public his stance and condemned IMN and even desecrated the grave of the mother of his Eminence, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky. How can IMN get justice from such a person?

    “By these, even though the President is Commander-in- Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic, there is no effective civilian control over the military enshrined in the constitution or any other law of the country.

    “Based on the insensitivity shown by the president, how could the IMN expect any justice from the government? The Kaduna State governor, who had played a major role in the massacre and destruction of property in Zaria, had since declared that the leader of the Movement was going to be prosecuted even before announcing the members of his committee of enquiry.

    “We demand that instead of the President to wait for the Kaduna State government and the Army to tender their submissions to him, he should set up a powerful independent judicial commission of enquiry that will include people of integrity and human rights activists. It is only then that justice may be done to the Zaria massacre of December 12 and 13.”

     There was outrage over President Buhari’s comment on hijab on Wednesday night during the presidential media chat.

    The President said there is possibility of banning hijab in future if the bombings by the Boko Haram insurgents continue.

    Islamic groups across the country yesterday expressed anger over what they term the failure of intelligence gathering and presidency’s systemic bid to shift the blame of the insurgents on the Muslims.

    The Muslim Congress (TMC), Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN) Lagos State Area Unit, Muslim Public Affairs Centre (MPAC) and Al-Mu’minaat Social Advocacy Project (SAP) said they were disturbed, shocked and offended by the comments of President Buhari.

    TMC Amir Dr Luqman Luqman AbdurRaheem wondered if Mr President’s comment is the official New Year gift to the Nigerian Muslim Ummah, because it came just two days to 2016.

  • Army cautions Shiites against inciting comments

    Army cautions Shiites against inciting comments

    The Army yesterday warned members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (also known as the Shiites) to desist from making misleading comments capable of breaching the public peace and order.

    A statement by Army spokesman Col. Sani Usman said:”The Army is aware of clandestine campaign of calumny and misinformation on the incident of Dec.12, 2015 in Zaria.

     “A group of high-ranking members of Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), led by one Dr Abdullahi Danladi, a lecturer at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria was at the university on Wednesday soliciting for support and telling lies about the circumstances surrounding the incident and the incident itself.

    “He also went further to make false and unfounded allegations of casualty figures and desecration of burial grounds.

    “Dr Danladi and like-minded individuals should be warned to desist from telling lies and misrepresentation of facts capable of misleading the general public.”

    The statement added that Danladi’s actions were preposterous and showed lack of concern and respect for peace and tranquility.

    It said that the Army would not sit back and allow some mischievous elements in the society to further create unnecessary tension and disaffection in the society.

    It urged the public to disregard what it described as  the misleading campaign by the sect.

    “This attitude will not be tolerated where people abuse their privileged position to mislead the public, create disaffection.

    “Nigerians and indeed all well-meaning people are please enjoined to be patient and await the outcome of the various enquiries instituted by various government and non-governmental agencies,” the army said

  • Shiites march in Kano to mark Prophet’s birth

    Shiites march in Kano to mark Prophet’s birth

    Hundreds of Shiite Muslims marched yesterday in Kano to mark the birth of Prophet Muhammad and the killing of some Shiites by soldiers almost two weeks ago.

    Human rights activists said the troops killed hundreds of Shiites in raids in Zaria but the army said it acted after Shiites tried to block the convoy of the army chief.

    The government is investigating the incident.

    Thursday’s procession was led by Abdulhamid Bello, who said justice must be served. He read a statement saying the marchers mourn the killings and the detention of their leader, Ibraheem Zakzaky, who started Nigeria’s Shiite movement 37 years ago.

  • Judicial commission of inquiry to probe soldiers’, Shiites’ clash

    Judicial commission of inquiry to probe soldiers’, Shiites’ clash

    A judicial commission of inquiry will look into the weekend clash between soldiers and members of the Shiite Islamic sect in Zaria, Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai said yesterday in a broadcast. The composition and terms of reference of the commission of inquiry will be announced within two weeks.

    The governor banned processions, blockage of roads, obstruction of public highways and occupation of public facilities to inconvenience citizens in Kaduna State.

    He assured the people that the government was committed to securing the state while upholding the rights of every citizen.

    Also yesterday, the police said 10 members of the sect were being probed for their involvement in the attack on a police station in Kaduna.

    Saturday’s fracas that led to the death of yet unspecified number of sect members during the clash with soldiers in the convoy of Chief of Army Staff Lt.-Gen Tukur Buratai, broke out after the sect’s members blocked the highway as the army chief’s convoy made its way to the Zaria Military School for graduation of the regular recruits of the Nigerian Army Depot.

    All efforts by senior officers to persuade them to clear the road for Gen. Buratai’s convoy were rebuffed. Thereafter, a clash broke out, leading to the death of some of the sect members. Sect leader Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky and his wife were taken to military custody. Sect members claimed that the leader’s son was among the people killed.

    The Senate and the House of Representatives have set up ad hoc committees to probe the clash.

    El-Rufai said: “We have witnessed sad events in Zaria. There have been tragic consequences and needless loss of lives and we extend our condolences to the families that have been affected.

     ”In this sombre moment, the government has directed that steps be taken to address the humanitarian fallouts of the security operations.

     ”Everyone has a fundamental right to their faiths and beliefs, but no one has any right to practise their faith in ways that diminish, distress or inconvenience others.

     ”Henceforth, no person or group, under any guise will be allowed to block any road, obstruct public highways, occupy public facilities or inconvenience citizens in Kaduna State.

    “Anybody that needs to march may do so, but they cannot take over public facilities or disrupt social services and commercial activities in Kaduna State, and any march or procession can be undertaken only with the prior knowledge of, and protection of the police to prevent the breakdown of law and order.”

    Enumerating what the government had learnt from security reports regarding the events in Zaria, the governor explained that the Kaduna State was persuaded that the interests of accountability and transparency are best served by a judicial commission of inquiry that will allow all claims to be tested with judicial rigour.

    “The commission of inquiry is to be set up under the Tribunals of Inquiry Act. It will examine the immediate and remote causes of the Zaria incident, and assemble a factual and authoritative account that the government can study and act upon.”

    The governor added that he will not tolerate any escalation of lawlessness, insisting that “the government continues to invest heavily in security as a foundation for the successful execution of our economic and social agenda to develop Kaduna State.”

    Noting that Kaduna State has endured too many upheavals in its recent history, the governor asked for a collective stance for peace. “We all should jointly say ‘no’ to actions that divide people, reject conduct that ignores or violates the legal and constitutional rights of others and oppose practices that contest the prerogatives of state institutions to safeguard and protect every citizen.”

    The police yesterday began investigating 10 members of the sect for their alleged involvement in the attack on a Police Division in Kaduna.

    Kaduna police spokesman Zubairu Abubakar said the police arrested the 10 suspected members of the movement when they allegedly attacked the Tudun Wada Divisional Police Office in Kaduna on Tuesday.

    He alleged that the suspects were arrested with dangerous weapons, including cutlasses, long knives and materials suspected to be substances for making Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).

    He said suspects would be arraigned in court as soon as investigation is concluded by the police.

    He said no member of the movement was killed or injured by the police during the incident, contrary to the statement issued by its spokesperson, Malam Ibrahim Musa, which alleged that three persons were shot dead by the police.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Tudun Wada Police Division was attacked when the policemen attempted to disperse hundreds of members of the Islamic movement who marched around Tudun Wada and Tudun Nupawa in the city.

    The sect members were protesting the reported arrest of Sheik Zak-Zaky in Zaria by soldiers last Saturday.