The Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) also called Shi’ites have said it would hold talks with the government if their leader, Mallam Ibraheem El-Zakzaky is included.
The Shi’ites also disassociated itself from Malam Yakubu Yahya Katsina who while calling for a dialogue with government at a press conference, also described himself as the Shi’ite leader.
The Shi’ites in a statement from the office of Sayyid Zakzaky, signed Suhailah Zakzaky said that the Movement has only one leader who is Mallam Ibraheem El-Zakzaky.
“On October 19th, 2019 which coincided with the event of Arbaeen. Some of the media houses carried the news that the leader of the Islamic movement or rather “Shi’ite leader” said that they are always open to dialogue referring to a statement made by one Malam Yakubu Yahya Katsina during a press conference.
“First of all, it should be made clear that the Islamic movement is not an organization in that sense. The term Islamic movement is used to describe our ideological and conceptual activities. We are practising our religion by engaging in Islamic activities. We do not have a hierarchical structure among us.
“We only have a Leader and that Leader is His Eminence Shaikh Ibraheem Zakzaky H. We seek to clarify that Malam Yakubu Yahya or anyone else is not our leader. And since the Islamic movement is not an organization that has a hierarchical structure, we have nothing like deputy leader, interim leader, spokesperson etcetera. We only have a Leader, not many Leaders.
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“As is well known by all, our beloved Leader, Shaikh Zakzaky H, has been in illegal detention for almost 4 years now. So no one should be dubbed Shi’ite leader”, the statement said.
As for the dialogue, the statement said “In regards to dialogue between the government and the Islamic movement, it is something that should be discussed with the leader of the Islamic movement, if the government is interested in having a dialogue. No dialogue can be done in exclusion of the Leader.
‘Before the Zaria massacre, no one sought any dialogue with the Leader. All the government did was just to attack us. And since then, there have been repeated attacks on different occasions killing and maiming many.
“Actually, sometime last year and recently before the medical trip to India the government sought to dialogue with the movement. And our Leader Shaikh Zakzaky H was informed and he appointed some persons to dialogue with them. The first delegation comprised of Professor Dahiru Yahya, Professor Abdullah Danladi, Dr Yusha’u Shehu, Engineer Yahya Gilima and Engineer Yunus Lawal. On the second occasion, which is recently before the medical trip, the Leader appointed the following persons:
“Professor Dahiru Yahya, Professor Abdullah Danladi, Malam Shuaib Isa Ahmad, Shaikh Halliru Maraya, Pastor Yohana Buru and Professor Shehu Maigandi. In fact, the second meeting was what resulted in the government allowing for the Shaikh and his wife to seek medical care in India, though the authorities sabotaged that and abruptly returned them back into illegal detention without any treatment or any arrangement for their treatment elsewhere.
“If the government wishes to have any further discussions, the second delegation delegated by the Leader himself can still be contacted”.
The IMN denied allegations that it was attacking the government, noting that they were just practising their religion.
“And finally, we are not the ones attacking the government. But on the contrary, we are subject to tyranny, oppression and aggression. We are only practising our religion as we understand it. So if the aggressor decides to stop the aggression and instead of dialogue with us, then we are ready to do so, under the directives of our esteemed Leader, Shaikh Zakzaky H”, the statement added.
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