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Shi’ites to President Buhari: Stop beating around the bush

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The Islamic Movement in Nigeria, also known as the Shi’ites or Shia, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to “stop beating around the bush” and obey court orders on the release of their leader, Ibraheem El Zakzaky.

In a statement released on Sunday by its spokesman, Ibrahim Musa, the organisation described as “unusual” the categorisation of Shi’ites as “brothers and sisters” by Buhari in his New Year message, after initially describing them as “a state within a state” in less than a year.

They also decried his call that they must accept the laws of the country.

“Have we not challenged all acts of brutality and extra-judicial killing of our members in our law courts peacefully?” they asked.

THE FULL STATEMENT

In his New Year message to Nigerians, President Muhammadu Buhari, made an unusual call to those he termed the Shia community, whom he referred to as his “brothers and sisters.”

We note the leap in his outlook of the IMN from his infamous “state within a state” gaffe in his maiden Presidential speech to “our brothers and sisters of the Shia Community” all within one year. This is a remarkable feat considering the snail speed his administration has come to be characterized with.

Beyond this however, the President actually evaded the points at issue. His call that we “must accept the laws of the country” we live in should actually have been echoed to him. Have we not challenged all acts of brutality and extra-judicial killing of our members in our law courts peacefully? Even in the face of extreme persecution and provocation, we have followed the laws of the land, not by taking the laws into our hands, or by employing jungle justice or disobeying any legitimate laws of the country, but by seeking redress in law courts, even as we know of the administration’s legendary disregard for court orders.

On the contrary, Mr President, you are yet to obey the court order to release our leader, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky, whom you have held in illegal detention, without charges, for more than a year now despite a court order for his release! Mr President, only last week our leading Counsel, Femi Falana (SAN) had written to remind you of that court order through your Chief Law officer, the Attorney-General. Thus, we must ask you to stop begging the question. You should obey the laws of the country you lead by obeying court order to free Sheikh Zakzaky immediately!

Secondly, Mr President, we are not an “island” by ourselves as your speech portrayed. We are well embedded into all aspects of the society, contributing positively in various ways to its success. We have built bridges across both intra and inter-faith divides. We have been bridging gaps across tribal and regional divides. We have been exposing the evil machination of authorities against its very citizens. Is that not the very reason the authorities seek to curtail what they perceive as our glowing influence and impact on the society? When campaign of blackmail and calumny by government and its protégé failed woefully, your government applied maximum and irrational force in attempt to crush us. Again on the contrary, you are more of an island into yourself, detached from reality. You rely on cooked up reports, which you call “intelligence” based on private prejudices that do not reflect reality to formally crystallize into official resentment and hate for a group and its leadership.

We take your call Mr President that the law enforcement agencies must treat us “humanely and according to the rule of law” as a confessional statement and an admittance that hitherto, they’ve acted inhumanly like beasts. We wish to remind you what our leader said at the inception of your administration, that you should re-constitute and re-orientate the Nigerian Army in order not to inherit “an army that sees citizens as enemies.” This advice to you to bring change in the way the military operated against civilians and the Movement was widely reported in the media. It is still apt.

Finally, we call on the President to stop beating around the bush. He must release Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky immediately as ruled by the Court of the land. We expect him to also order for the immediate release of all those who are still being held in various places of detention across the country since the brutal attack on us. We expect him to take bold steps against the officers that massively killed citizens in Zaria, Kaduna, Kano, Funtua and Sokoto since the onset of the attacks on us in December of 2015. We expect actions to address the matter of victims secretly buried in mass graves. We demand for payment of compensation for lives and property destroyed in the ill-conceived attacks. We await his words of condolences in relation to those extra-judicially killed since the pogrom started.

CAN slams appointment of Emefiele as Islamic liquidity corporation chairman

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The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on Thursday condemned the appointment of the governor of Nigeria’s central bank as leader of the International Islamic Liquidity Management Corporation (IILMC).

In a statement by CAN’s president, Samson Ayokunle, the association described the appointment of Godwin Emefiele as the IILMC chairman, as unconstitutional and totally unacceptable.

According to CAN, the government’s decision to accept the appointment amounted to denouncing Nigeria as a secular state, in negation of section 10 of the 1999 constitution.

“There have been reports that the IILMC recently appointed the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele as its Chairman during its 17th Governing Board meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia.

“Section 10 states that The Government of the Federation or a State shall not adopt any religion as State Religion. This action by Nigeria’s government is in clear negation of the constitution, especially this section,” the statement said.

The association re-emphasised its earlier allegation that the Nigerian government plans to make the country an Islamic state.

“What is Nigeria doing in Islamic and Shariah compliant organization? Who authorized the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria to join this organization? What provision of our constitution supports our membership of a religious association as a secular state?

“When did the National Assembly pass the law to do away with our secular status? When did our Constitution change to allow this alliance that seems to portray Nigeria as Islamic? Is the National Assembly aware of all the treaties regarding these Islamic organizations to which Nigeria is now a member?

“Do we need to repeat our concern that almost all the heads of security paramilitary agencies in Nigeria today are Muslims as if Christians have become second class citizens or rather lack competent officers to in charge! Has Nigeria become an Islamic state?,” CAN queried.

CAN said the situation goes against the plans of Nigeria’s founding fathers, adding that the association’s concerns do not imply that it has any thing against Nigerian Muslims.

“This is not the Nigeria dreamt of by our founding fathers and it is high time the government woke up to its constitutional responsibilities.

“Christians have equal rights with our Muslim counterparts since the 1999 Constitution recognizes the multiplicity of religions and we will no longer pretend as if all is well with Nigeria.

“Let it be stressed here that we love our Muslim brothers and sisters in this nation and we are aware that we cannot do without one another.

“However, we need to drum it loud to the ears of this present administration to always consider our plural state in terms of ethnicity and religion and ensure balance not only on the issue of appointments but on other issues which would continue to portray the government as being partisan towards one particular religion.”

Mr. Emefiele was appointed leader of the IILMC on December 15 in Jakarta, Indonesia.

As stated by the Central Bank of Nigeria, on its website, “IILMC is an international institution established by central banks’ monetary authorities and multilateral organizations to create and issue short-term Shari’ah-compliant financial instruments to facilitate effective cross-border Islamic liquidity management. By creating more liquid Shari’ah-compliant financial markets for institutions offering Islamic financial services (IIFS), the IILMC aims to enhance cross-border investment flows, international linkages and financial stability.

The body’s major mandates include developing a robust Islamic liquidity management as a catalyst for cross-border financial linkages and facilitating effective cross-border liquidity management instruments for institutions that offers Islamic financial series.

The organisation is also charged with the responsibility of enabling a future global finance industry with greater connectivity, stability and sophistication.

Nigerian Police response to Shiite procession disproportionate – US

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The United States has expressed deep concerns over the latest clash between the Police and Shiite members in Kano, describing the security agency’s response to the procession as “disproportionate.”

 

It therefore called for calm and restraint on all sides, a reduction of tension and greater communication between Shiite members and government authorities.

 

A statement from the US embassy’s Information Office on Friday in Abuja said the Shi’ite group, like other religious communities, had the right to assemble, peacefully express their religious beliefs, and mark their celebrations.

 

The US admonished the Federal Government to protect and defend these rights

 

It said, “The US is deeply concerned by the deaths of dozens of Nigerians during clashes between individuals participating in a Shia procession and the Nigerian Police Force in Kano State on November 14.

 

“While the matter is still under investigation, we are troubled by the apparent disproportionate response by the police.”

 

The US also called on members of the IMN and all citizens to respect the rule of law and cooperate with the police in their attempt to maintain public order.

 

It urged the government to ensure accountability for the deaths of more than 300 IMN members during December 15, 2015 clashes between the group and security forces in Zaria, Kaduna State.

 

“We also call on the Nigerian government to conduct a transparent investigation of the latest incidents and bring to account anyone responsible for violating the law,” the statement added.

Three siblings denounce Christianity in Imo, travel to Kaduna for Islamic education

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Three siblings – Chinonso, Chika and Chibuzor, who hail from Chokoneze in Ezinihitte Mbaise Local Government Area, LGA, of Imo State have reportedly converted to Islam.

 

The news making the rounds on the social media has it that the siblings reportedly abandoned their Christian faith, embraced Islam, and headed straight to Kaduna State to undergo Islamic education.

 

According to a Facebook page, Islamic Calling Family, the siblings have been enrolled in Islamic school in Kaduna state to have basic Islamic education.

 

The statement of the page reads, “ISLAM MUST CONTINUE TO GROW IN IGBO LAND.

 

“Three brothers of same parents from Chokoneze in Ezinihitte Mbaise LGA Imo State accepted Islam 2 days ago.

 

“Chinonso now Hassan, Chika now Musa. Chibuzor now Abdulrahman. They are now in Islamic school in Kaduna state to have basic Islamic education.”

Muslim groups demand holiday for Islamic new year

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Some Islamic groups have called on the Federal and state governments in Nigeria to declare Muharram 1, the first day of the Islamic Hijrah Calendar 1438 A.H, a public holiday.

The groups, in separate Hijrah 1438 A.H messages, said such a declaration would be in line with the principle of fairness and justice to Muslims in Nigeria.

The demand came from Muslim Muslim Media Practitioners of Nigeria (MMPN), Obafemi Awolowo University Muslim Graduates Association (UNIFEMGA) and Muslim Community of Oyo state (MUSCOYS).

Others include National Council of Muslim Youths Organisations (NACOMYO), Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) and Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN).

MMPN in its statement signed by its President, Abdurrahman Balogun, urged the Federal Government to give recognition to Muslim New Year in the interest of fairness.

Balogun said that declaring Muharram 1, a public holiday would give Muslims a sense of belonging.

In the same vein, UNIFEMGA in its message signed by Abdulwaheed Odeyimka , its National President, called on the government at various levels to recognise the Hijrah calendar and use it side by side with the Gregorian calendar.

It congratulated Muslims and non-Muslims alike for witnessing another new Islamic year and urged them to reflect on their deeds and activities during the past year.

In his own message, the Chairman, Muslim Community of Oyo State, Alhaji Ishaq Sanni said the declaration and recognition of Hijrah was long overdue and called for its immediate implementation. He called on the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs to enter into dialogue with the Nigerian Government on the issue.

Sanni equally called for a stringent legislation against rapist in the country, saying it was getting too rampant because the culprits always get away with it.

ISIS urges Western Jihadis to carry out knife attacks to spread fear

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Islamic State has hatched a diabolical new tactic to spread fear in the West by ordering homegrown jihadis to become Islamist serial killers.

The fanatical hate group is urging extremists in Europe and the US to carry out multiple random knife attacks to strike terror into the hearts of civilised societies.

In its latest poisonous propaganda offering the unhinged Islamist cult urges would-be jihadis to overcome their squeamishness and use knives instead of guns, because it is easier to carry out large numbers of murders undetected.

Jihadi chiefs argue that random stabbings are almost impossible for security services to detect and stop when compared to shootings and bombings, which require coordination and the purchasing of illegal equipment.

In an article for the terror group’s glossy Rumiyah propaganda magazine they even give advice on what types of knives to use, and suggest striking in secluded places after dark to avoid detection.

Islamist commanders suggest a “campaign of knife attacks” in which lone-wolf jihadis “could dispose of his weapon after each use, finding no difficulty in acquiring another one”.

They wrote: “Many people are often squeamish of the thought of plunging a sharp object into another person’s flesh.

“It is a discomfort caused by the untamed, inherent dislike for pain and death, especially after ‘modernization’ distanced males from partaking in the slaughtering of livestock for food and the striking of the enemy in war.

“However, any such squirms and discomforts are never an excuse for abandoning jihad.

“One need not be a military expert or a martial arts master, or even own a gun or rifle in order to carry out a massacre or to kill and injure several disbelievers and terrorize an entire nation.”

Hinting that the article is one in a forthcoming series about terror tactics, the author says that knives can help potential terrorists with the “ocean of thoughts” that “might pour into one’s mind” when considering an attack.

And they even advise would-be jihadis which blades to use, saying: ”It is explicitly advised not to use kitchen knives, as their basic structure is not designed to handle the kind of vigorous application used for assassinations and slaughter.

“Avoid troublesome knives, those that can cause harm to the user because of poor manufacturing,” they add.

A footnote in the article also betrays ISIS’ sensitivity about how their actions are reported in the West, insisting that supporters should not use the term “lone wolf” to describe radicalised Westerners.

Instead they order extremists to refer to such attacks as “just terror operations” – with just in this instance referring to the sense of justice the twisted barbarians see in them.

Rumiyah, meaning Rome, is ISIS’ latest propaganda tool and is significantly shorter than its main English language publication, the hate-filled magazine Dabiq.

It is published by the group’s Al-Hayat Media Center and is published in English, Turkish, German, French, Indonesian, Russian, Arabic and Uyghur.

The hate-filled magazine has been widely distributed in PDF format online, and has been released as ISIS commanders continue to grapple with the impending defeat of their so-called Caliphate in the Middle East.

Terror experts have warned that the jihadi group will increasingly turn to inspiring attacks overseas as it tries to cement its survival in the face of military annihilation.