Of the Shi’ites and the Nigerian Federal Government

Following the declaration of Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) as a terrorist group by the Federal High Court, Abuja and proscription order of the group obtained by the Federal Government, the government is set to publish the order in the official gazette by Monday, July 29, 2019.

For people who neglect news and are unbothered by shiite and El zakzaky news. I mean, really who is he? How will knowing him help in paying fees can ring in our individual’s mind.

But then, it’s a Nigeria Issue and we have to be informed about things happening around us. An Enlightened mind is powerful.

So who and what are the Shi'ite?

The Shi'te also known as Islamic Movement of Nigeria

The Islamic Movement of Nigeria was founded by Sheikh Zakzaky in the early 1980s.

The organization was meant to serve the Shiites of the country socially, culturally, and educationally. Based in Zaria, the movement has so far established a series of charities and clinics. With recent clashes with security officers, protest for the release of their leader and uproar caused by this movement. The movement has been declared a Terrorist group by the Federal Government. According to Nnamdi Obasi, Senior Analyst on Nigeria at the International Crisis Group (ICG), the IMN’s(Islamic Movement Nigeria) goals are twofold: “to ensure more stringent application of Islamic legal and administrative systems...then ultimately to create an Islamic state in Nigeria.”

WHO IS EL ZAKZAKY AND HIS CONNECTION WITH IMN

Ibrahim Yaqoub El Zakzaky is an outspoken and foremost Shi'a Muslim cleric in Nigeria.

Zakzaky is the primary figure and spiritual leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (formerly: Muslim Brothers ), Africa’s most prominent Shi'a Muslim movement. Of Nigeria’s 180 million population, around 50 percent are Muslim, a small minority of which belong to Shi'a Islam. Sheikh al-Zakzaky was injured and arrested along with his wife, in the 2015 Zaria massacre, in which three of his remaining sons, as well as hundreds of his followers, were killed by the Nigerian Army. According to cable news, On January 22nd, 2019, Zakzaky and his wife, Zeenathead to the Kaduna High Court for hearing on the bail application. On July 2019, in order to demand the release of Ibraheem el-Zakzaky, hundreds of people gathered outside government buildings and policemen tried to disperse them by using gunshots and tear gas. During the clash, two people died and 40 protesters were arrested by police. The Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), a group of Nigeria's minority Shia Muslims, said protests will continue until they secure the release of el-Zakzaky.

 

Another clash with   Shi'ite Muslim protesters in the capital Abuja and gunfire could be heard, according to a Reuter witness. The Shi'ite group marched in protest against the continued detention of its leader, despite a court ruling claimed many lives both of the Shi'tes, police officers and a young reporter, Precious Owolabi under NYSC . A Deputy Commissioner of Police also lost his life during the clash.

IS PROSCRIBING SHI'ITE TERRORIST GROUP THE RIGHT WAY

Two Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Mr Femi Falana , and Chief Mike Ozekhome on an Interview  with Channels Television, have  condemned the proscription of the group, saying it is unconstitutional. The proscription, according to Femi Falana  is an attempt by the government to stop Shiite members from demanding the release of their leader and his wife. The secretary to the academic forum of the movement, Abdullahi Musa, in an interview with TheCable on Saturday also said All they want is to suppress the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) just to please Saudi Arabia. They want to kill Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky and silence all of us.”

Numerous people has also ascribed the proscription as discriminatory on the ground that Buhari administration has refused to proscribe herdsmen that have allegedly been killing Nigerians for a long time. All evidence to prove that the Fulani Herdsman are responsible for killings are abound, yet the administration was proposing RUGA to placate the Fulani Herdsman.

Declaring Shi'ite is unconstitutional and discriminatory. You can't choose to turn a blind eye to groups that needs more proscribing as being terrorist.