Army/Shi’ite Clash: El-Rufai Recieves Report Of Inquiry Panel

By Longtong Ibrahim

Kaduna (Nigeria) – The Judicial Commission of Inquiry set up by the Kaduna state government in north-western Nigeria to look into the 2015 December Zaria clash between the Nigerian Army and the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), also known as ‘Shi’ites’ has on Friday submitted its report to the governor, Nasir El-Rufai.

It would be recalled that on January 29, 2016, Governor El-rufai set up an inquiry panel to investigate the cause of the clash which claimed many lives.

While submitting the report, Chairman of the inquiry commission, Justice Mohammed Lawal-Garba, said the panel received 3,500 memoranda within and outside the state during its sittings, but one of the parties, IMN, failed to appear before the panel for reasons best known to them as there were no formal explanations on why they refuse to appear despite prolonged adjournments to enable parties directly involved make presentations.

He said, “There was no reason made known to the commission because there was no formal communication to the commission on why they decided not to continue their appearance before the commission. Like everybody else, we were reading on newspapers, online and other avenues that they did not want to appear and they were not going to appear.”

While receiving the report, Governor El-Rufai said the government will study the results and ensure that recommendations made by the commission are implemented to prevent future crisis in the state.

He also noted that, government would evaluate the security implication of the report before making it public, saying it has been classified top secret for now.

The governor while thanking members of the commission for a job well done  said, “In the last three and half decades, Kaduna State has suffered too much from at least 10 rounds of ethnic and religious violence. We hope that the inquiry process and the final report that you have presented today will help ensure that the legacy of violent disorder and the catastrophic toll on lives and property, are firmly consigned to the past in the state.”

Nigerian Army Denies Plan To Retrieve Shiites Bodies From Mass Grave

By Mohammad Ibrahim,

Kaduna (Nigeria) — Nigerian Army has denied allegations by Islamic Movement of Nigeria, also known as Shi’ite that they are planning to retrieve bodies buried in Mass Grave in the Kaduna, northwest Nigeria.

The Army while reacting to a report published Thursday by Sahara Reporters where the sect members alleged that the Nigerian Army is planning to steal bodies from mass grave.

The group further, stressed that a contingent of soldiers have been deployed to keep guard at the site of the mass grave in an effort to prevent the uncovering of the hundreds of bodies buried there.

A statement by Deputy Director, Army Public Relations Colonel Abdul Usman made available to newsmen said Nigerian Army will like to make it abundantly clear that, it has never contemplated such act at anytime.

It explains that It is simply a figment of their jaundiced imagination and a campaign of calumny against the Army.

“The Army strongly and categorically reject the IMN’s unfounded and spurious allegation. It is simply a concoction of lies and deliberate effort by the IMN to portray the the Nigerian Army’s image negatively.

“It’s of no relevance whatsoever. We are focused on discharging our constitutional duty as a professional military force. We expect any responsible media to double check such weighty allegations before going to press. Nigeria’s national security and interest must never be toyed with.

“Nigerian Army as a law abiding entity had already stated its facts regarding the December 12-14 incident in Zaria before the Justice Mohammed Lawal Garba led Judicial Commission of Inquiry.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the commission had on Wednesday 27th April, 2016 visited all the sites of the incident in Zaria, including the grave site in Kaduna.

“It was widely aired. It is not the duty of the Army to guard any public grave site other than our own designated military cemeteries. It appears that the IMN’s desire is to whip up public sympathy not minding their crimes over several years against the people of Zaria as testified by the parties at the just concluded sitting of the commission.

“The Islamic Movement in Nigeria failed to state her facts or opinion if any as regards the incident of December 12th and 14th 2015 before the judicial commission of inquiry.

“While we await the report of the judicial commission, we would like to call on the general public to disregard this unfounded claim. Nigerian Army will continue to safeguard the lives and property of all citizens in every part of our great country. That is our mission,” the statement says.

Zakzaky Selfish, Power Monger — Splinter Group

By Bello Adisa

Kaduna (Nigeria) — A group, Jamaatu Tajdeed Islam (JTI) Thursday testified against the leader of Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky describing him as selfish who wants to be a Supreme Leader.

JTI, is a breakaway faction of the IMN, says its founder, Aminu Aliyu Gusau.

Addressing Judicial Commission of Inquiry investigating clashes between Nigeria Army and Shiite in December 2015, Gusau said, he and Zakzakky were friends, and that they were of the same brotherhood, but parted ways when the brotherhood was growing to become a Shiite.

“We splitted in 1994 when I discovered the brotherhood we started is becoming Shiite. And then I went to form JTI.” He said

Gusau described El-Zakzaky as a person who wants to dominate, but with a weakness of allowing his followers to take drastic decisions without his knowledge.

When asked to comment on action of the Army in the December 12th clash, Gusau praised the Army for their tolerance while also admitting that the IMN does not recognize any constitution or authority.

In another submission contrary to that of the JTI, Secretary General of Rasulul Aazam Foundation, RAAF another Shiite group, Sheikh Saleh Zaria, frown at blanket statement on reffering to IMN as the only Shiite group in Nigeria.

Zaria who was out to correct the impression in the commission, said there are other shiite association that are law abiding.

He continued when he said there was no where in the Shiite beliefs, that says one should not recognise constituted authority established by law of the land, this according to him is what differentiates their group, among others from the Islamic Movement in Nigeria.

Shiites Demand 2 Billion Naira Compensation Over Zakkaky’s Illegal Detention

By Mohammad Ibrahim

Kaduna (Nigeria) — Counsel to Islamic Movement of Nigeria, (IMN) Festus Okoye has petitioned Federal High Court in Abuja, demanding 2 billion naira as compensation for the illegal violation of the group’s leader fundamental rights to life, dignity of his person, fair hearing, privacy and private property.

The Counsel also demanded the immediate release of the leader, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky, who has been in detention since December 2015.

Addressing newsmen in Kaduna, Okoye said, the leader of the Movement now walks with a limp, adding that his left eye was completely damaged.

He explained that the left hand of the leader of the movement has lost its functions.

“The continued detention of the Islamic leader from 14th day of December, 2015 till date without charging him to court, before a properly constituted court of law is illegal and unconstitutional as it violates his fundamental human rights to fair hearing as enshrined in section 36 (5) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and article 7 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act (CAP A10) laws of the federation of Nigeria 2004.

“That the arrest of the leader of the movement on 14th day of December, 2015 and his detention till date without access to his medical doctor is unconstitutional, as it violates his fundamental rights to personal liberty and health, as enshrined in section 35 of the constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria, (as amended) and articles 6 and 22 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act (CAP A10) LAWS of the federation of Nigeria, 2004.’’

He expressed dismay with the extra judicial killing of the leader’s three children by the armed soldiers, adding that the arrest of El-Zakzaky without warrant in his home at No. 1 Wali road, Gyallesu, Zaria by armed soldiers was a flagrant violation of his fundamental rights to privacy and private property, guaranteed by section 35 (1) (4) (6) of the constitution of Nigeria.

On the Judicial Commission of Inquiry set up by the Kaduna State government, he said, the leader of the Islamic movement of Nigeria, expressed his reservations about the movement putting his appearance before the commission of inquiry, particularly considering the composition of the commission and the fact that the Nigerian Army is a federal institution that is not subject to the control of the Kaduna State government and its agencies.

‘’During our conference with the leader of the Islamic movement of Nigeria, we notified him of the fact that that Kaduna State government has set up a judicial commission of inquiry to look into the remote and immediate causes of the Army/Shiite clash and also of the fact that scores of members of the movement lost their lives during the clash while over 200 of them are in prison custody on allegations of attempted murder of the Chief of Army Staff.

‘’He instructed us to challenge the composition of the commission and its impartiality in court and also instructed that we file an application to enforce his fundamental rights which we agreed has been and are still being infringed upon by his continued detention without trial and without his having been informed of the basis upon which he was being detained,’’ he explained.

Army/Shiite Clash: El-Zakzaky Is The Root Cause Of Clash – El-Zakzaky’sElder Brother

By Longtong Ibrahim

Kaduna (Nigeria) – Mohammad Sani Yaqoub, an elder brother to Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) also known as Shiite, said his brother (El-zakzaky) was the root cause of the clash that happened in Zaria.

Yaqoub stated this on Monday while making his presentation before the commission of Inquiry at the ongoing public hearing to look into the Army/Shiite clash in Kaduna, north-west Nigeria.

He also acknowledged the actions taken by the Nigerian Army saying, “the Nigerian Army would have been useless if they had made a u-turn on the spot of the Zaria clash where IMN members blocked the road and tried to prevent the convoy of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai.”

Yaqoub who spoke in Hausa noted that, the Second in Command to Sheikh El-Zakzaky in Kano, Muhammad Turi is another person responsible for fueling the crisis.

According to him, El-zakzaky is the fourth child of 16, who was very intelligent but grew up having a different ideology from other children. He said, while growing up he never had any clash with him but as an elder brother, he tried to caution El-zakzaky on his activities but he paid deaf ears.

“We share the same father but different mothers – El-Zakzaky’s mother brought me up.”

On IMN funding; he said they get their money from Iran – noting that, “Every year, they go to Iran twice, after they returned, I hear of the stories from those he travelled with.”

Yaqoub however recommended that, whosoever is found wanting at the end of the inquiry should be made to face the wrath of the law.

Muhammad Sani Yaqoub is also the Chairman of Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa’iqamatis Sunnah (JIBWIS), Zaria chapter.

Army/Shiite Clash Update: Kaduna Mass Buried 347 ‘Unknown’ Persons

By Longtong Ibrahim

Kaduna (Nigeria) – The Kaduna state government in North-west Nigeria on Monday said a total of 347 unknown persons were given mass burial as a result of the 12^th-14^th December clash between the Nigeria Army and members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, also known as Shiite.

Secretary to the Kaduna state government, Balarabe Abbas Lawal disclosed this while giving the state’s attestations during the public hearing aimed at looking into the clash before the inquiry commission set up by the Government.

According to him, 156 corpses were taken from the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Zaria, while 191 corpses were brought in from the Nigerian Depot, Zaria, and are buried in a grave yard along Mando-Zaria road.

On demolished houses at Husainiyya, Dambo centres, El-zakzaky house, Alhaji Tijjani Muhammad’s house, Alhaji Aminu Idris’s house, and Jushi; he said they are fail structures and are demolished without any ulterior or political reasons but for the interest of public safety and standards.

“347 unknown persons were killed in the Army/Shite clash, and were given mass burial on 14^th December, 2015,” he said.

Other presentations of the Kaduna state government included presentations from the below stakeholders;

Director General, Interfaith Kaduna, Nemadi M. Musa

• According to him, he received a phone call by the Kaduna state government directing him to go to Zaria to find out the number of corpses and how they would be buried.
• He said the SSG directed him while in company of the state commissioner of Police to move to ABUTH, Zaria to ascertain the number of corpses of which he went, saw and counted 156.
• At the Nigerian Depot, he said, the SSG directed him to meet with Major Ogundare regarding the corpses there. “After introducing myself, he refused to let me know of the number; but later on, the SSG called me and told me the number.”
• Musa said, the SSG told him that there were a total of 191 corpses at the Nigerian Depot; he also confirmed the number while they were being buried; as he counted it one after the other as they are laid in the grave.
• He said the corpse were deposited one after the other in one mass grave and the burial lasted from about 12.00 midnight to 5.30am.
• He said they left Nigeria Depot with three heavy duty trucks and 60 young officers who escorted them to assist in offloading the corpses.
• From ABUTH, Zaria, five small trucks carried the 196 corpses.
• The Interfaith DG noticed that most corpses were covered with black materials and they included women and children.

General Manager, Kaduna State Public Works Agency (KAPWA), Engineer Tanimu Abubakar

• He said, he went with Mallam Lawal Magaji to inspect the structure before they were demolished.
• After inspection, they submitted their report to Kaduna State Urban Planning and Development Agency (KASUPDA) on the appalling state of the structures in which it made recommendations.
• He said the puncture from the clash was responsible for the weakness of the building which warranted the demolition.

Deputy Director, Ministry of Works and Transport, Engr. Mohammad Lawal Magaji

• According to him, at the course of the inspection, he observed that the buildings were damaged and it necessitated demolition.
• He said he has never seen the structures before the incident (clash) happened.

Director, Clinical Services, Department of Surgery, ABUTH, Prof. Adamu Ahmed

• He said the hospital received a total of 66 patients in the Accident and Emergency unit 13^th December, 2015.
• According to him the numbers were overwhelming compare to the number of facilities on ground but had to mobilize for other Doctors, nurses and resources.
• Patients were sorted out based on their needs for medical attention and were resuscitated.
• Another set of 43 patients were received on 15^th December, 2015, while on 16^th December also, six patients were received.
• Of the 66 patients, most of them are male with the youngest 13 years and oldest 43.

On whether he was aware of military truck coming into the mortuary section of the hospital on13/14 December, he said, he didn’t see them but was informed by the head of Mortuary Department.

Zaria Killings: Nigerian Army Released A Shiite Corpse, Body Laid To Rest

By Mohammad Ibrahim

Kaduna (Nigeria) — Out of the over one thousand members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), also known as Shiites, alleged to have been killed by the military in Zaria, only two bodies have been released for burial; the second was buried Thursday.

Idris Khalid, 50, was buried according to Islamic rites at Tudun wada cemetery in Kaduna, northwest Nigeria, with hundreds of people in attendance.

He was shot and fatally wounded when the military open fire on members of the Islamic Movement at Sheikh Zakzaky’s residence in Gyallesu, Zaria.

Though he didn’t die on the spot, he was among those arrested by the army and handed over to the police in Kaduna.

This was disclosed in a statement by the spokesman of the group, Ibrahim Musa in Kaduna.

The statement says, after just 3 days in police custody, Khalid was pronounced dead, most probably due to lack of medical attention, and was held in custody since then.

Khalid, a native of Duhu village in Katsina, died leaving behind three wives, but no children.

Human Rights watch, an international human rights group is reported to have said that over 300 people were killed by the military in Zaria between 12-14 December, 2015.

The military has disputed the figure, with the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Buratai telling National Human Rights Commission in Abuja that only seven people were killed.

The Islamic Movement in Nigeria has published a list of almost a thousand people who have been declared missing since the army’s pogrom in Zaria, and among it’s demands is that the army should hand over the corpses of those it killed to their relatives for proper Islamic burial, though there are reports that most of them have been burnt by the military and others buried in mass graves around Kaduna.

EXCLUSIVE: Sheikh Zakzaky Blinded In One Eye, DSS Sources Say — SaharaReporters

Department of State Services (DSS) sources speaking with SaharaReporters have stated that the Shiite leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky, has not been released because of the gruesome injuries he and his wife sustained during the Nigerian army’s raid on their home in December 2015.

This DSS source, speaking on the condition of anonymity, revealed that the Nigerian government was in a major dilemma about how to release Sheikh Zakzaky. The two civilians are in DSS custody, according to this source.

It will be recalled that the Nigerian army rampaged against the IMN for three days in Kaduna State last December 2015. The incident occurred when a convoy of military vehicles, one of which was carrying the Chief of Army Staff TY Buratai, was blocked by IMN protesters. The military, who argued they were provoked, massacred at least 300 people according to Human Rights Watch.

The use of violent force by the military continued for three days, including the destruction of Shiite sites of worship, and the raid and detention of Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky and his wife after the rampaging soldiers shot and killed three of his sons. Shortly after the attack images emerged of Shiekh Zakzaky plopped into a wheelbarrow with severe injuries.

The DSS source disclosed to SaharaReporters that the condition of Sheikh Zakzaky and his wife is so disturbing that Nigerian authorities worry it could provoke a backlash by the IMN and Shiite Muslims across the world.

“[Sheikh Zakzaky] is blinded in one eye from a bullet wound to the skull” the source stated. They added that his eye had popped out because of this injury.

Sheikh Zakzaky was also shot in the leg during the military’s raid on his home that took place on Monday, December 14th, 2015.

SaharaReporters has also confirmed that Sheikh Zakzaky’s wife, who was arrested in the raid with her husband, received a bullet wound in the abdomen and arm and would continue to require critical medical attention.

These developments come days after the Minister of Defense, Mansur Muhammad Dan Ali, told SaharaReporters that military force against the group did not extend beyond Saturday, December 12th. Mr. Dan Ali did not want to comment on who authorized the use of force because a board of inquiry is currently investigating the events.

Ibrahim Musa, the spokesman for the IMN, told SaharaReporters that “we demand the immediate release of Sheikh Zakzaky so that we can take good care of him. They should release him so we can get him treatment.”

Shiites/Soldiers Clash: El-Rufa’i Grants Four Weeks Extension To Commission Of Inquiry

By Mohammad Ibrahim

Kaduna (Nigeria) — Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Zaria clashes has been granted a four-week extension to conclude its job.

According to Kaduna Government the extension was granted at the request of the Chairman of the Commission of Inquiry.

When the Commission of Inquiry was inaugurated, it was given six weeks from its first sitting to submit its final report.

The extension of the Commission was announced in a statement by the Spokesperson of the state government, Samuel Aruwan and made available to newsmen in the state.

He explained that with the first public sitting holding on 22nd February 2016, the final report of the Commission was expected by 4th April 2016.

“However, proceedings of the commission have been repeatedly adjourned since its first public sitting. The adjournments were granted to enable the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) to submit a memorandum.

“Four subsequent sittings of the Commission on 24th February, 29th February, 7th March and 14th March 2016 also ended in adjournments as the Commission of Inquiry sought to provide a level playing ground and opportunity for fair hearing to all parties involved in the subject of the inquiry.

“These adjournments have taken up the time allotted to the Inquiry, and as such more time is required to conduct the business of the inquiry and submit a final report.

“Following a formal request by Justice Muhammed Lawal Garba, chairman of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry, the government of Kaduna State has given the Commission four more weeks to complete the inquiry,” he said.

Protesting Shiites Demand Release Of Members’ Corpses Killed By Nigerian Army

By Mohammad Ibrahim

Kaduna (Nigeria) — Months after the killing of hundreds of members of Islamic Movement of Nigeria also known as Shiites, Academic Forum of the movement has protested against the continued detention of their leader, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky by Nigerian authorities. The group also demanded for release of bodies of their members killed by Army in December.

The Shiites and Army clashed in Zaria town in December where hundreds of shiite members were killed and many sent to prisons.

Their leader who sustained gunshots and his wife have been in detention for more than 100 days without trial.

Since his arrested, alongside hundreds of his followers, members of the movement kept protesting his continued detention.

According to members of the Shiite, they will not rest on their oars until their leader Sheikh Zakzaky, his wife Zeenatu and other members are freed.

President of the Academic Forum of the movement , Abdullahi Ibrahim, at the protest in Kaduna northwest nigeria said, they were echoing their demand “for the release of their leader, Sheik Zakzaky, his wife Zeenatu, and all other members of the movement who are now languishing in different prisons and Army Barracks across the country.”

Majority of members of academic forum were women and youth ladies who raised posters of their detained leader and his followers.

“Bring back the corpses of our Martyrs, who are mass graved by the cruel Nigerian Army, for proper Islamic burial.

“Despite the wickedness and atrocities committed to the Movement by the Nigerian army and the Nigerian government, yet, they did not regret what they have done.”

The President queried the crime that the Movement did to deserve this ill-treatment.

“Is Nigeria not a democratic nation and why are members of the Movement denied their constitutional right of association.

“Why the attack on Sheik Zakzaki, why the Movement, why extra judicial killing, why the corpses still denied to their families for proper burial, all these atrocities happening because the Movement Shaikh Zakzaki is leading is the only true front against tyranny and oppressed in Nigeria,” he said.