The Shi’a group, Islamic Movement in Nigeria has flayed the Kaduna State Government’s proposed panel of inquiry to investigate the circumstances that led to the clash between the group and personnel of the Nigerian Army which left scores dead.
The group in a statement released on Thursday urged the Federal Government to set up an independent judicial panel to probe the clash.
In the statement by spokesman Ibrahim Musa, the group said: “It is now over two weeks since the Army launched a coordinated brutal attack on members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, resulting in the killings of hundreds according to Western sources.
“But some sources even said more than a thousand people were killed by the Army in the Zaria massacre. President Buhari has been silent on the massacre until his yesterday’s (Wednesday’s) presidential media chat.
“The President claimed they showed him a clip, based on which he passed his judgment. Did he ask those who showed him that propaganda video why were those protesting youths angry? What happened to the Natural Laws of Action and Reaction?”
“Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has already declared and made public his stance and condemned IMN and even desecrated the grave of the mother of his Eminence, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky. How can IMN get justice from such a person?
“By these, even though the President is Commander-in- Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic, there is no effective civilian control over the military enshrined in the constitution or any other law of the country.
“Based on the insensitivity shown by the president, how could the IMN expect any justice from the government? The Kaduna State governor, who had played a major role in the massacre and destruction of property in Zaria, had since declared that the leader of the Movement was going to be prosecuted even before announcing the members of his committee of enquiry.
“We demand that instead of the President to wait for the Kaduna State government and the Army to tender their submissions to him, he should set up a powerful independent judicial commission of enquiry that will include people of integrity and human rights activists. It is only then that justice may be done to the Zaria massacre of December 12 and 13.”