The Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) also known as Shi’ites has again alleged that the government of Saudi Arabia is working with the Nigerian government to stop its members from holding their forthcoming Asharu procession.
The IMN also alleged that there were plans to use the Nigerian Police to attack their members during the procession.
Addressing a press conference on behalf of the Academic Forum of the Islamic movement in Nigeria, Abdullahi Musa said the procession will take place on the 10th day of Al-Muharram.
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“Reliable information reaching us revealed that the government of Saudi Arabia is prodding Buhari-led government into stopping the forthcoming Ashura procession which will take place on the 10th day of Al-Muharram.
“One of the strategies to be employed is through the use of Nigeria Police to attack the Ashura mourners across the country. In addition, the source has confirmed that directives have been given to the Police to issue a press statement in advance against the procession”, Musa said.
Furthermore, Musa alleged that “in a counter-affidavit spread to media houses through the Attorney General of the Federation, Malami Abubakar for the sole purpose of promoting its evil agenda, the government resulted to untruths telling. However, this has further exposed Buhari’s complicity in the 2015 Zaria-massacre, just like it proffered additional facts with respect to the case already filed at the International Criminal Court (ICC)”.
He, however, said, “though our learned counsels are capable of responding magnificently to the mischievous counter affidavit, it is apposite to uncover the scheme of these proxies as stage-managers of the most atrocious savagery against Sheikh Zakzaky”.
Contrary to the views of some, Musa said “the Islamic movement under the leadership of Sheikh Zakzaky is a mass movement of conscious people who abhor injustice and oppression.
“Most of the supporters of this movement are Muslims, but there are non-Muslims who identify with it because of their love for justice as well as their contempt for oppression which is so prevalent in our society today. For instance, there is the Christian Forum of the Islamic movement which consists of Christian supporters of the movement”.
He recalled that in 2016, Sheikh Zakzaky, through his counsel, approached the Federal High Court Abuja for the violation of his Fundamental Right, on 2nd December 2016 the court presided by Justice Gabriel Kolawole ordered that the Sheikh and his wife be freed unconditionally and their fundamental rights are restored.
He further said the judge termed the continuous detention of the couple as unconstitutional, but the government refused to obey the court order with contempt. The court case instituted by the Kaduna State Government is a deliberate plot to keep the couple in perpetual detention.
“It will forever go down in history that on 12th December 2015 the Nigerian Army under the command of Buhari killed more than a thousand people, including women, children, infants, pregnant ladies and nursing mothers. In some cases, whole members of many families were exterminated and thus wiped out from the face of the earth. Most of those killed are followers and supporters of Sheikh Zakzaky.
“All these atrocities and much more were meted out in less than 72 hours. The victims were buried in mass graves so as to obliterate conclusive evidence from the crime scene. Sheikh Zakzaky, his wife, Zeenah and other numerous followers were detained with life-threatening injuries without proper medication. The carnage left hundreds wounded, some of which are still battling with the effects of various degrees of wounds to date. Furthermore, the perpetuation of persecutions against us continues nonstop. The latest of such crimes was that committed in October 2018 during Arbaeen Trek as well as July 2019, all in Abuja”, he alleged.
“Obviously, Zaria massacre and continuous detention of Sheikh Zakzaky are the main reasons behind Free-zakzaky protests, and the general public is aware on how we have been conducting ourselves while protesting for a very long time in Abuja. The public is a witness to how we started the protest on Monday, 22nd July 2019 before the police attacked it and disrupted everything.
“The right to protest is inalienable. It is one of the constitutional rights of every citizen, because it is a vehicle through which complaints are lodged, and grievances voiced and demonstrated, particularly to those on whose faces other doors had been deliberately shot. Thus, no one, reasonable enough, should allow a breathing space for oppression and tyranny” Musa maintained.
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