Tag Archives: Shi’ite

New Factional Shi’ite Group Uncovered in Borno

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The Nigeria Security Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Borno State has discovered a new factional sect of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), popularly known as Shi’ite, in Borno, the state capital.

Commandant Ibrahim Abdullahi stated this in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), yesterday.

Abdullahi said men of the command discovered the group in Kwaya Kusar local government through intelligence gathering and surveillance, adding that the group was different from the El-Zakzaky-led group.

“As part of our statutory responsibility in monitoring the activities of religious bodies in the country, we have discovered this strange group.

“When we invited the leader (names withheld), he claimed to be non-violent and that they are against the teachings of Ibrahim El-Zakzaky.

“But we must detest and distance ourselves from all acts of violence and illegal groups in all its manifestations under whatever guise.

“We agree that it is their fundamental right to practice their own religion, but we are not unmindful about factors that gave rise to the calamitous catastrophe which engulfed us in the recent past.”

Abdullahi added that investigations would be sustained and shared with other security agencies to forestall any breach of peace in the country.

Saudi Arabia detains 3 in connection with December abduction of Shiite cleric

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Saudi Arabia has detained three people and is searching for three others in connection with the December abduction of a Shiite cleric, the interior ministry said on Sunday.

Sheikh Mohammed al-Jirani, a judge, was abducted mid-December in a village in the Shiite-majority eastern district of Qatif, a centre of minority unrest since 2011 in the Sunni-ruled kingdom.

State television has reported Jirani was critical of the unrest.

It called on the abductors to “immediately free” Jirani and said anybody with knowledge about the suspects who did not come forward would be prosecuted.

Shiites in Saudi Arabia’s oil-rich Eastern Province have long complained of marginalisation.

BREAKING: Kaduna Government declares war on Shiite IMN, officially labels group ‘insurgent’

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The Kaduna State Government has officially labelled the Shiite Islamic Movement of Nigeria, IMN, an insurgent group.

 

This is contained in a White Paper released by the state government on Monday in Kaduna.

 

“For all intent and purpose, the IMN is an insurgent group and ought to be treated as such,” the government said n the white paper.

 

The government also said the detained Shiite leader, Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, will be held responsible for all acts carried out by the group’s members.

 

“Members of the IMN owe absolute loyalty to Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky,” the white paper states. “He therefore bears responsibility for all the acts of lawlessness committed by the organisation and should therefore be held responsible, fully investigated and prosecuted.”

 

In the white paper, the state government also indicated it may not prosecute the soldiers involved in the killing of over 300 members of the IMN in December last year, but may leave their prosecution to the federal government.

 

Details later…

Shi’ite Chief, El-Zakzaky, Terrorized Zaria- Emirate

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The Zazzau Emirate Development Association (ZEDA) yesterday testified against the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), otherwise called the Shi’ite.

It said the movement terrorised the emirate for years.

Spokesman for ZEDA Mohammed Balarabe, who appeared before the Judicial Commission of Enquiry in Kaduna, narrated how the movement terrorised the emirate.

He said the group took the law into its hands and shut roads while holding processions.

Balarabe said whenever the movement had outings, they (people of Zaria emirate) were forced to stay indoors.

He said the last December 12 clash between the IMN and the Army was not the first, noting that the group is violent.

The ZEDA spokesman cited instances when the body had encounters with the Emir of Zaria, Alhaji Shehu Idris and ex-Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero.

He recalled that the movement had encounters with previous administrations.

Balarabe said the Shi’ite leader, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky and his followers were not members of ZEDA, adding that they refused to register with the association.

Said he: “We are familiar with the movement’s actions in the 20 years of its existence. As someone who attended the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, we know where the shoe pinches.

“Whenever we heard they had outings, we stayed away because it would bring hardship. They shut roads.”

Credit: Nation

Weapons, Ammunitions Recovered From Shi’ite Handed Over To Police– Army

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The Headquarters of1 Division Nigerian Army has said that all the weapons and. Ammunition recovered from the Shi’ite group has been handed over to the police.

The army however said it’s attention has been drown to the publication particularly on the photograph that was displayed during the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1 Division press briefing with members of the media in Kaduna on Wednesday 6 January 2016, and wish to correct the mistake in the captioning.

According to the army through a press statement issued by the deputy director Army Public relations, Colonel Usman Abdul, it stated that, “We wish to state categorically that all the ammunitions/weapons and other dangerous weapons displayed were recovered from armed bandits, criminals and cattle rustlers that have been terrorizing innocent civil populace within the North West Zone and not from the members of the Shiite sect as reported.

“The issue of the clash between the Nigerian Army troops and members of the Shiite sect was not the main issue of the briefing but was only mentioned to reiterate the position of the Nigerian Army on the matter. All sort of weapons recovered specifically from the Shiite sect have been handed over the Police authority few days after the incident.”

Credit: Leadership

Army vs Shiite: It’s Unacceptable For Army To Declare War Against Unarmed Citizens – NLC

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NIGERIA Labour Congress, NLC, yesterday, said it was unacceptable for Nigeria Army to declare war of attrition against unarmed citizens and threw its weight behind the probe of the clash between the Nigerian army and the Shiíte Islamic Movement of Nigeria, MIN, led by Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky, in Zaria, which claimed 10 lives.

NLC, in a statement by its factional President, Mr. Ayuba Wabba,  contended that it was bad for any group of people to have allegedly blocked the road, restrict the movement, and allegedly threatened the life of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant Gen. Tukur Buratai.

But he insisted that there was no room for extra-judicial behaviour and extra-judicial killings whatsoever, lamenting that the violence between MIN and the Nigerian Army was getting addictive, frequent and avoidably bloody and wasteful.

“For a country that has witnessed and still coping with senseless violence with attendant mass deaths, especially in the North East, this is one additional violence most condemnable.

“NLC commiserates with the families of those who lost their lives during the December 12,  Zaria crisis and call on the Federal Government to increasingly be proactive in responding to crises in the country.

“We therefore, call on the authorities to take necessary measures to ensure that this unnecessary conflict was  brought to a permanent end.

“Federal Government must urgently investigate the root causes of frequent mutually destructive violence between MIN and the Army. We recall that this is not the first time the movement had been involved in a clash with the military. In 2014, some members of the movement including the sons of Zakzaky reportedly lost their lives during a similar clash.

At a time Nigeria had lost several lives and properties through insurgency, we must guide against further disaster.

National Human Rights Commission To Investigate The Army/Shiite Clash

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The National Human Rights Commission, NHRC on Tuesday, has set up a Special Investigative Panel to investigate the circumstances that led to the bloody clash between the Nigerian Army and the Shiite Muslim sect in Northern Nigeria.

The clash, which took place during the weekend, took the lives of seven people and injured 10 others.
A statement by the commission, said the panel was set up by the Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Prof. Bem Angwe, following a petition lodged against the Muslim sect by the Nigerian Army and some concerned citizens.
The statement signed on behalf of Prof. Angwe  by Mr. Lambert Okpara read:

“In setting the panel, Prof. Angwe stressed the need for all the parties in the dispute to sheath their swords and assured that the commission will get to the root of the matter

“The Executive Secretary noted that the country is operating a democracy which demands that institutions must act within the ambit of the law and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.

“In a democracy, the rule of law is supreme and it is important that we continue to remind everyone about the need to respect each others’ right.”

Angwe said the commission will thoroughly investigate the incident with a view to find ways to address the current issues and preventing future occurrence.

The panel made up of top management staff in legal, investigations and monitoring departments of the NHRC is headed by Mr Tony Ojukwu, Director, Monitoring Department.

Vanguard

Video: Nigerian Army Officers Begging Shiite Members Who Barricaded The Road In Zaria

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This video shows Senior Army officers appealing to Shiite members who barricaded a road in Zaria, Kaduna state, an incident that led to the clash between the Army and Shiite members that resulted in the death of over 60 Shiite members and the attack on the Muslim group leader, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky.

Iran Summons Nigerian Ambassador To Protest Shi’ite Clashes In The North

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Iran has summoned the Nigerian Charge d’Affaires in Tehran to protest against deadly clashes between Shia Muslims in the country’s north and the army.

Iran’s foreign ministry called the violence between the military and followers of the Shia Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) “unacceptable”, the official ISNA news agency reported on Tuesday.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Zarif had earlier contacted his Nigerian counterpart Geoffrey Onyeama to express his “deep concern” about Saturday’s events in the city of Zaria.

ISNA said at least 12 people were killed, with both sides blaming each other.

The Nigerian military said one of its convoys was attacked by followers of Ibrahim Zakzaky, the leader of the IMN.

“The sect numbering hundreds carrying dangerous weapons, barricaded the roads with bonfires, heavy stones and tyres,” an army statement said.

“The troops responsible for the safety and security of the Chief of Army Staff, on hearing explosions and firing, were left with no choice than to defend him and the convoy at all cost.”

Credit: Aljazeera