Shiites Hold Protest in Kano, Call for El-Zakzaky, Others to be Released
22 Dec 2015
Nigeria ThisDay
Members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) popularly known as the Shiites, monday trooped out to the streets of Kano to protest the continued arrest of their leader, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky.
The Shiite Muslims earlier in the day, had converged on Fagge mosque from where they moved to Ibrahim Taiyo Road, Radio Kano, by Obasanjo Bridge and IBB Way.
The protesters who included men, women and teenagers held placards with various inscriptions calling for the immediate release of El-Zakzaky.
The leader of the group in Kano, Mallam Sani Malfa, addressed the crowd at Kofar Mata after three hours procession.
Malfa said: “We demand the immediate release of El-Zakzaky. And we want him to be released for him to be treated by any doctor of his choice having sustained injuries.
“We members of the Islamic movement hereby also urge the immediate release of the corpses of those killed and those in detention without any condition.”
According to him, “Members of Shiites are also calling on the authorities to allow us to see El-Zakzaky for us to know his condition.”
The protesters also urged international human rights groups to intervene on the massacre of the Shiites members, stressing that the protest would continue until all those detained are released.
According to him, the group would also institute a court action over some unguarded comments from some quarters about the sect.
He urged the protesters to embark on fervent prayers for the immediate release of their leader and others.
Prayers were also held at the end of the protest from various scholars who attended the protest procession.
The protest ended peacefully as members of the group went back to their various homes thereafter.
Meawhile, the spokesperson and representative of El-Zakzaky, Alhaji, Abdulrahman Abubakar, monday said the group had rejected the commission of inquiry set up by the Kaduna State Government, saying the killings of its members were carried out by the military which is directly under the supervision of the federal government.
Speaking in a radio programme monitored in Abuja, he refuted claims by the military that El-Zakzaky had been set free.
He said: “The way forward and our request is for the unconditional release of Zakzaky, and the molestation that is still continuing on our members should stop. “There is no violent attitude from our members. The Sheik has repeatedly spoken to foreign media on this.
He also averred that the corpses of those killed were yet to be released to their families for proper Islamic burial, adding, “as we speak, we have not taken possession of our dead members for burial,” adding that the International Red Cross can allude to this.
Abubakar said: “We were told that the dead members that were taken to the General Hospital road on Sokoto road by the Red Cross were later retrieved and given mass burial by the military. We are saying that we need the dead bodies of these members so that we can give them the right burial according to Islamic injunction.
The spokesperson refuted claims that its members were involved in violence, adding that such was carried out by hoodlums who paraded themselves as Shiites members.
“In fact, as we speak now, we don’t know where they even came from. In fact, those who carried cutlasses and stick, though not our members, said they were doing it in self-defence. We too became apprehensive when we saw this development all over the place.
“I want you to know also that bomb was thrown to disperse our members in Potiskum. This was no doubt carried out by the army. As we speak, we don’t know where he is. His three children and elder sister were killed and up till now, we don’t know where he is being kept by the military, and not less than 1,000 of his supporters who attempted to protect him were also killed,” he said
However, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), monday in Abuja said but for its quick intervention, 51 members of the Shiite Muslim sect would have died inside a tunnel in Zaria.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Prof. Bem Angwe, made the disclosure while inaugurating a Special Investigative Panel to probe circumstances that led to the killing of members of the sect by the Nigerian Army.
Angwe told journalists that few days after the clash, senior members of the Shiite sect ran to the commission, lamenting that some of their members were still trapped inside a tunnel in Zaria.
He said: “On Monday, December 14, the office of the Chief of Army Staff reported the case of a clash between it and the Shiite sect at Zaria. Coincidentally, the media was awash with news about the unfortunate incident that occurred in Zaria allegedly leading to the loss of several lives and property.
“Later in the week, some followers of the Shiite sect sought the intervention of the Commission for the release of some of their members trapped in a tunnel since the Sunday, December 13, incident.
“The commission quickly intervened. We requested the support of both the Military and the Nigerian Police Force, an effort that eventually led to the rescue of about 51 members of the Shiite sect.
“Though I am happy with the timely intervention that led to the rescue of the trapped persons, however, this commission, in line with its mandate to receive complaints on human rights violation, monitor and investigate such allegations with a view to making appropriate determination in the circumstance, has decided to constitute a panel of investigation on the clashes between the Shiite and Military that occurred in Zaria.”
According to him, the terms of reference of the five-man probe panel headed by Mr. Tony Ojukwu, Director, Monitoring department of the NHRC, include, finding out the immediate and remote causes of the violations.
Others are: “To find out those responsible or culpable for the violations. To recommend remedies if possible for the violations, to find out those who lost their lives and property destroyed on both sides during the clash.
As well as, “To make recommendations for damages where appropriate and for prevention of future violations.”
He said the panel has two months to complete its assignment and submit its report.
Angwe maintained that the panel has the power to summon any person that was directly or remotely involved with the clash, no matter how highly placed.
Besides, the NHRC, said it was studying all issues regarding blockage of roads by institutions or individuals within the country, saying it would soon issue an advisory barring all forms of illegal road blocks.
Other members of the NHRC panel are Mr. A. A. Yakubu, Halilu Adamu, Babangida Labaran and Kabiru Elayo.
The army had in a petition it filed before the commission, insisted that the convoy of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-General Yusuf Buratai, “was brazenly attacked in Zaria by members of the Shiite Sect under the leadership of El ZakZakky”.
Army told the NHRC that Buratai was on his way from Dutse to pay homage on the Emir of Zazzau before proceeding to Depot NA Passing Out Parade of 73 Regular Recruit Intake, when “heavily armed sect members numbering over 500 rushed out and barricaded the Zaria Polo/Golf Road in the vicinity of their supposed shrine.”
Nigeria ThisDay
Members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) popularly known as the Shiites, monday trooped out to the streets of Kano to protest the continued arrest of their leader, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky.
The Shiite Muslims earlier in the day, had converged on Fagge mosque from where they moved to Ibrahim Taiyo Road, Radio Kano, by Obasanjo Bridge and IBB Way.
The protesters who included men, women and teenagers held placards with various inscriptions calling for the immediate release of El-Zakzaky.
The leader of the group in Kano, Mallam Sani Malfa, addressed the crowd at Kofar Mata after three hours procession.
Malfa said: “We demand the immediate release of El-Zakzaky. And we want him to be released for him to be treated by any doctor of his choice having sustained injuries.
“We members of the Islamic movement hereby also urge the immediate release of the corpses of those killed and those in detention without any condition.”
According to him, “Members of Shiites are also calling on the authorities to allow us to see El-Zakzaky for us to know his condition.”
The protesters also urged international human rights groups to intervene on the massacre of the Shiites members, stressing that the protest would continue until all those detained are released.
According to him, the group would also institute a court action over some unguarded comments from some quarters about the sect.
He urged the protesters to embark on fervent prayers for the immediate release of their leader and others.
Prayers were also held at the end of the protest from various scholars who attended the protest procession.
The protest ended peacefully as members of the group went back to their various homes thereafter.
Meawhile, the spokesperson and representative of El-Zakzaky, Alhaji, Abdulrahman Abubakar, monday said the group had rejected the commission of inquiry set up by the Kaduna State Government, saying the killings of its members were carried out by the military which is directly under the supervision of the federal government.
Speaking in a radio programme monitored in Abuja, he refuted claims by the military that El-Zakzaky had been set free.
He said: “The way forward and our request is for the unconditional release of Zakzaky, and the molestation that is still continuing on our members should stop. “There is no violent attitude from our members. The Sheik has repeatedly spoken to foreign media on this.
He also averred that the corpses of those killed were yet to be released to their families for proper Islamic burial, adding, “as we speak, we have not taken possession of our dead members for burial,” adding that the International Red Cross can allude to this.
Abubakar said: “We were told that the dead members that were taken to the General Hospital road on Sokoto road by the Red Cross were later retrieved and given mass burial by the military. We are saying that we need the dead bodies of these members so that we can give them the right burial according to Islamic injunction.
The spokesperson refuted claims that its members were involved in violence, adding that such was carried out by hoodlums who paraded themselves as Shiites members.
“In fact, as we speak now, we don’t know where they even came from. In fact, those who carried cutlasses and stick, though not our members, said they were doing it in self-defence. We too became apprehensive when we saw this development all over the place.
“I want you to know also that bomb was thrown to disperse our members in Potiskum. This was no doubt carried out by the army. As we speak, we don’t know where he is. His three children and elder sister were killed and up till now, we don’t know where he is being kept by the military, and not less than 1,000 of his supporters who attempted to protect him were also killed,” he said
However, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), monday in Abuja said but for its quick intervention, 51 members of the Shiite Muslim sect would have died inside a tunnel in Zaria.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Prof. Bem Angwe, made the disclosure while inaugurating a Special Investigative Panel to probe circumstances that led to the killing of members of the sect by the Nigerian Army.
Angwe told journalists that few days after the clash, senior members of the Shiite sect ran to the commission, lamenting that some of their members were still trapped inside a tunnel in Zaria.
He said: “On Monday, December 14, the office of the Chief of Army Staff reported the case of a clash between it and the Shiite sect at Zaria. Coincidentally, the media was awash with news about the unfortunate incident that occurred in Zaria allegedly leading to the loss of several lives and property.
“Later in the week, some followers of the Shiite sect sought the intervention of the Commission for the release of some of their members trapped in a tunnel since the Sunday, December 13, incident.
“The commission quickly intervened. We requested the support of both the Military and the Nigerian Police Force, an effort that eventually led to the rescue of about 51 members of the Shiite sect.
“Though I am happy with the timely intervention that led to the rescue of the trapped persons, however, this commission, in line with its mandate to receive complaints on human rights violation, monitor and investigate such allegations with a view to making appropriate determination in the circumstance, has decided to constitute a panel of investigation on the clashes between the Shiite and Military that occurred in Zaria.”
According to him, the terms of reference of the five-man probe panel headed by Mr. Tony Ojukwu, Director, Monitoring department of the NHRC, include, finding out the immediate and remote causes of the violations.
Others are: “To find out those responsible or culpable for the violations. To recommend remedies if possible for the violations, to find out those who lost their lives and property destroyed on both sides during the clash.
As well as, “To make recommendations for damages where appropriate and for prevention of future violations.”
He said the panel has two months to complete its assignment and submit its report.
Angwe maintained that the panel has the power to summon any person that was directly or remotely involved with the clash, no matter how highly placed.
Besides, the NHRC, said it was studying all issues regarding blockage of roads by institutions or individuals within the country, saying it would soon issue an advisory barring all forms of illegal road blocks.
Other members of the NHRC panel are Mr. A. A. Yakubu, Halilu Adamu, Babangida Labaran and Kabiru Elayo.
The army had in a petition it filed before the commission, insisted that the convoy of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-General Yusuf Buratai, “was brazenly attacked in Zaria by members of the Shiite Sect under the leadership of El ZakZakky”.
Army told the NHRC that Buratai was on his way from Dutse to pay homage on the Emir of Zazzau before proceeding to Depot NA Passing Out Parade of 73 Regular Recruit Intake, when “heavily armed sect members numbering over 500 rushed out and barricaded the Zaria Polo/Golf Road in the vicinity of their supposed shrine.”
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