Army/Shiite Clash: Update Of Public Hearing And Attestations

By Longtong Ibrahim

Kaduna (Nigeria) – On Thursday in Kaduna, north-west Nigeria, public hearing and attestations continued in order to look into the clash that happened between the Nigeria Army and Members of the Islamic movement of Nigeria (IMN) on 12^th-14^th December, 2015. Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), National headquarters, JNI, Zaria branch, and also an NGO (Centre for Human Resource Development and Empowerment Initiative) made presentations as Stakeholders in the inquiry process before the commission.

Below are briefs of their presentations.

Centre for Human Resource Development and Empowerment Initiative

Executive Director of the Centre, Mohammed Ali made the presentation. He was a former Minority Leader in the Kaduna State House of Assembly.

• In his presentation, he said IMN has intention of forming a state within a state in Nigeria, because they have representations in form of Governors (Ameer) and councilors in all the states of the country including the FCT.
• According to him the movement has followership in Nigeria numbering about 3.5 million; and the Leader also recruits boys as young as 10 from Niger and Chad for a return of N100, 000 to be recruited into the group.
• IMN gets an indirect funding through the Iranian Embassy officials in Abuja who are known as local handlers and are Iranians.
• His findings reveals that, the movement is an illegal organization, because it is not registered with the Corporate Affairs office in Nigeria nor with the Islamic Movement for Africa, noting that, Islamic Movement Association of Nigeria is the known register body in Nigeria which has an office in Lagos not IMN.
• He described Elzakzaky as an ‘impostor’ who alongside his members hold no allegiance to any authority other than the Movement.
• Their activities posed a great threat to the collective existence of Nigeria as an entity; saying while doing their processions or match pass, they always carry Iranian flag not Nigeria’s on the soil of the country.
• If government does not do anything about their activities, it can become a menace that will be more than Boko Haram because members of the movement receive military training in warfare, has camouflages and weapons.
• He gave pictures and video clips as further evidence showing Hizbullah brigade of the movement having processions and receiving trainings.
• He also gave an instance that happen in 26^th October 2010 where weapons were incepted in Lagos and was later traced to be connected to IMN and the Iranian government.
• On any members known to him in which their activities assisted in fueling the crisis; Ali said he knows of Prof. Dahiru Yahaya of Bayero University Kano and also an Ameer in Kaduna, Murhtar Sahabi.

Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), National Headquarters

JNI, National Headquarters made its presentation through the National Secretary Khalid Abubakar Aliyu.

• Aliyu said JNI as an umbrella and supreme body of Islam in Nigeria, that regulates Islamic activities, IMN does not recognized it neither is it registered with the body; all efforts aimed at making it register proof abortive.
• He accused Shiite of trying to Make Nigeria a Lebanon where they can have a government within a government.
• He also stressed that, IMN are getting direct funding from the Iranian Government – It is very clear Leader of the Movement, Ibraheem Elzakzaky has never engaged in any business venture nor is he a civil servant; as such the source of money he gets and lavishing on the movement is questionable.
• JNI however recommended the creation of the Ministry for Religious Affairs to checkmate excesses of Clerics in the country, and urged government to always take proactive measures on recommendations made as they have made recommendations in the past regarding IMN but government was silent about it.

JNI, Zaria Branch

• JNI, Zaria Branch through its Chairman, Abdullahi Yahaya said as a corporate body of Islamic Body in Zaria, Elzakzaky has never recognized them.
• He said the movement hosted Persian flags in their Temple in Husainiyya which is a sign that, they have no respect for any given authority in Nigeria.
• He described the movement as a rebellious movement that is against any power in Nigeria.
• According to him, activities of the movernment in Nigeria stated in the early 1980s when the leader, Elzakzaky was a student in the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria where he started having some kind of relationship the Iranian government which was not conceal like now.
• He also noted that the Body has received various complains between the Shiite and other Muslim groups but after lodging complains to the Police, it was treated casually.
• He presented copies of Almizan newspapers, vedio clips to the chairman of the commission to further buttress what he has in his memoranda.

Chairman of the Commission, Mohammed Lawal Garba, at the end of the Thursday hearing adjourned proceedings to Monday 11^th April, for the continuation of presentations.