Tag: Zaria

Though the group is continuing with its numerous programmes and activities, there is no doubt that last December clash between a detachment of the Nigerian Army and members of Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), otherwise known as Shi’ites movement and the subsequent arrest and detention of its national leader, Sheikh Ibrahim Yakubu El-Zakzaky, has thrown the group off balance. Abdulgafar Alabelewe reports.

SHEIKH Ibrahim Zakzaky has, for about three decades, remained the leader of the Shi’ites group in Nigeria. Not only has he called the shot in the movement, he is also the link between the financiers of the the Islamic sect in Iran and its Nigerian followers. Stories, as gathered from sources within and outside the movement, have it that that Zakzaky, the acclaimed founder of the Shi’ites movement in Nigeria, came in contact with the the Iranians who lured him into the movement in the late 70s. To his credit, he succeeded in gathering a large followership within a short period.
Born on May 5, 1953, the outspoken Zakzaky was said to have started propagating the Shi’ite sect of Islam when he was still a student at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. This was during the time of the Iranian revolution, which saw Iran’s monarchy overthrown and replaced with an Islamic republic under the leadership of Ayatollah Khomeini.
An elder brother to Zakzaky, Malam Sani Yakubu once said that, “when Ibrahim graduated from the School of Arabic and Islamic Studies (SAS) in Kano, he started writing letters to different countries especially China and Iran. He developed interest in relating with China largely because China had revolutionalised her economy through agriculture and moved her people out of hunger.
“Iran was responding to his letters by sending their books to him; trying to lure him into their creed of Shiite. Because of that, he turned his attention to Iran, especially after the Ayatollah’s revolution in 1979. They started having meetings in England every year, before they moved their meetings to Iran. When Iran attained certain level of development, he sometimes travelled there twice in a year.
“When we saw that, we decided to start counselling him, particularly with our teachers, Malam Sani Abdulqadir and Malam Usman Maccido. This is because even at that time we know that Shia is not Islam. Based on that, we sat him down to tell him the implication of what he was doing. He kept saying that he was not into Shi’a that he was only into struggle for revival of Islam. This started in early 1980s. When we realised that he would not listen, largely because it involves a lot of money, we left him alone.
“But our elder brother, Malam Abdulqadir Yakubu, did not stop counselling him. In fact, about a week or so before their clash with the Army, our elder brother wrote him. In the letter, he told him that what they were doing is not part of Islam.”
The Shia according to El-Zazakky
Zakzaky believed that the establishment of a republic along similar religious lines in Nigeria would be feasible. Though, he was detained several times due to accusations of civil disobedience and recalcitrance under military regimes in Nigeria during the 1980s and 1990s, the 2015 clash of the Shi’ites and Army seems the most devastating to the group so far.
The Shi’ites group before the December 12-14, 2015 incident was unknown to many, especially Nigerians of Southern extraction. To Northerners however, they were a group of extremists who often disturb non-members’ peace.
An average northerner and other Nigerian resident in the North has had one unpleasant encounter or the other with the Zakzaky group. It is either one’s movement was at one time or another disrupted by protesting Shi’ite members, or they grounded activities in areas where their events took place.
During their numerous processions, the group which allegedly has its own security forces, subjected other road users to security checks, in some cases force motorists to one lane of a dual carriage way a or even block the road in many cases.
Reports have it that, members of the movement had at different times forced convoy of the Emir of Zazzau, who is the Chairman of the Kaduna State Traditional Rulers Council, Alhaji Shehu Idris and that of former Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero to change their routes. The same treatment was what the Army resisted in 2015, when similar procession insisted that the Chief of Army Staff’s convoy must change route.
And the residents rejoice
Residents of Gyellesu, a Zaria community where Sheikh Zakzaky resides have bitter tales to tell about their living with the Shi’ites. Though, they could not complain before December 2015, due to fear of intimidations, the area went into jubilation when Zakzaky was whisked away.
A Chieftain of Gyellesu community, Malam Mu’izzu Daruddeen recently said, Zazzau Emirate is now safe and conducive without Sheik Ibrahim El-zakzaky. He said, the ancient city and its environs had recorded “sudden positive change” in its day-to-day activities.
According him, “as peace loving organisation and patriotic citizens of this nation, we are in support of anything that will promote peace, unity and harmonious relationship among people. Every resident of Zaria is affected directly or indirectly by the self-acclaimed powers and disregard for traffic rules by the Shi’ite members in Zaria, especially when it comes to the use of public roads.
“These Shi’ite members consider any other person as a second class citizen who has no rights and privileges. Whenever the leader of the Shi’ite was going for preaching, he would be escorted by youths bearing dangerous weapons. These boys traumatised and brutally dealt with anybody while El-zakzaky was on transit. Complaints to police at different times did not yield any result,” he said.
When El-zakzaky was in Gyallesu, the area became a home to all kinds of criminals because his boys did not allow uniform personnel into the area, no matter the level of crime committed. These boys used to search anybody that is coming into the area irrespective of his or her status.
“Again, once they lock up the gates at night you have no right to go out for whatever reason. The kind of loyalty these boys accorded El-zakzaky was second to none. They see him as a messiah. They neither have respect for constitution nor any constituted authority. His instruction is the final.” Daruddeen said.
Cracks in the wall
However, since the detention of the IMN leader, things have not been the same with the Shi’ite group. One, the December incident has no doubt crippled the group’s excesses and robbed it of its excessive powers. Secondly, the Zakzaky who has the direct link with those funding the group in Iran is out of reach of his followers.
His absence has equally led to what can be termed as the fictionalization of the Shi’ite group. Though, its leader yet unknown, a faction of the movement has, since the arrest of Zakzaky dissociated itself from the Zakzaky led IMN. It has equally continued to preach against Zakzaky the principles for which the detained leader stood.
The IMN which felt threatened by the the development recently issued a warning circular to its members. The circular issued by a chieftain of the IMN Media Forum, Abdulmumini Giwa, alleged that the faction was a parallel Shi’ite group created by the Israeli and Saudi Arabian authorities.
According to Giwa in the circular published on the official website of the movement, “I will like to use this medium to remind my fellow brothers in Islam that a parallel Shi’ite group has been founded by Israel and Saudi Arabia to fight against the Islamic Movement in Nigeria which they consider as the only threat to them.
“They are working hand-in-hand with the compromised Nigerian security apparatus to ensure they stop the Islamic Movement under the leadership of Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky. The Israeli’s are after fighting the increasing Iranian influence while the Saudi’s are against the fast spreading of Shi’ism in Africa which is a threat to their terror laden Wahabism.
“Some of the steps they have taken includes founding a fake Shi’ite organization to counter the growth and strength of IMN. You will notice that the only thing they do is attack the personality and person of the IMN leader Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky.Their aim is not to preach love for Ahli Bayt but to drive people away from Sheikh Zakzaky who they see as a threat.
“The Saudis have invested millions of dollars on this contract and are not only funding the Arabic speaking idiots to spread Wahabism and institute lies against Shi’ites and Shi’ism, they are also bribing northern state governors to always clampdown on the IMN members to scare them away from the revered Sheikh.
“The attack, killing and subsequent arrest of members of thhe IMN in Zaria last December was part of the plan which they are still pursuing. Currently they are sponsoring campaigns on social media to discredit the personality of Sheikh Zakzaky and spread lies and calumny against him, and by all means show people that he is not Shi’ite so that they can pull away his followers, supporters and sympathizers who they see as following him because of Shi;ism. Most of those presently engaged in this smear campaign are people of questionable character who pose as religious persons.
“You will always see them pretending to be Shi’ites and attacking Sheikh Zakzaky. I advice that you remain steadfast and resolute as always, for they have already failed as usual,” the circular read.
In the area funding however, the Shi’ite group have practically resulted to taxing members to run their programmes. Though, they have state leaders, none of them is yet to assume Zakzaky’s position as the custodian of the movement’s resources and power.
Similarly, one would observe from their recent events that the once powerful Shi’ite group has now become a friendly, and ‘law abiding’ Islamic sect. Law abiding in the sense that, they are now conscious of the existence of security agencies. Agreed, they still don’t get police permission to stage protests or processions, but they now quickly disperse when security agents appear to stop their gatherings.
The group held its annual Qud’s Day procession in several Northern cities last week, without any reported attack or harassment of other citizens. All these are indications that, Shi’ite without Zakzaky is no longer at ease.