I spent some time laughing after reading an article with the above title written by one Uche Madu John and published by Vanguard news website. The article was based on reaction to Dr. John Danfulani’s stand in support of the oppressed Islamic Movement in Nigeria. The writer said in the article that Danfulani attacked every other person, organization or sector for the breach of security triggered by the IMN. Uche failed to mention when, where and how did Danfulani attacked anyone. The issue of “breach of security triggered by the IMN” divulged Uche’s motive for writing the article. He was trying to vindicate criminals by justifying the genocide against IMN. The writer failed to mention any occasion which IMN breached security.
Uche shamelessly called IMN the main culprits of the on going suppression and oppression against the Islamic movement. I wonder how on earth can a movement whose 1000+ members were massacred, whose women were raped and abducted, whose members were burnt to death and some members illegally detained by security agencies that are paid to protect the lives, property and dignity of the citizens be referred to as the culprit. Uche was missing something. Uche also said that “the problem in Nigeria is that IMN as the expression of Shiism has become tainted to the extent that its members are on about the same level of radicalization as the Boko Haram terror group; its doctrine includes the disavowal of the government of Nigeria which it reaffirmed as recently as a few days ago when it repudiated the Federal Government with an oath to never recognize it even though the same fanatics swear by the authority of the Islamic Republic of Iran.” With this statement, one can factually prove that Uche does not know what IMN is. IMN is a concept, believe and ideological movement. After all the oppression against IMN, the movement choose to remain peaceful and seek for redress in Nigeria’s courts of law. For someone to correlate IMN and Boko haram is absurd and ridiculous. The Islamic movement in Nigeria can be found everywhere across Nigeria and beyond. In all of the states where IMN operates, one can discern centers and schools registered with the Nigerian government which belong to the IMN. Some activities of the movement which include teaching, learning and seminar are carried out in the schools and centers. Never did the IMN take weapon against anyone. Then how related is the Boko Haram to IMN? Uche’s article panoply his ignorance about the state of affairs in Nigeria. He is probably one of the misinformed victims that assume they know. From the name, Islamic Movement in Nigeria, one can see “Nigeria” in the name. All members of IMN use Nigeria’s national and international identity cards. All members also pay taxes and seek for redress in Nigeria’s courts when offended. I wonder what Uche mean by “disavowal of government of Nigeria”. I will urge Uche to tell me the area and name in which IMN has taken as its country.
He also talk about IMN processions in which according to him, causes discomfort on other Nigerians. He failed to mention that procession, protest and peaceful assembly is a right of every citizen of Nigeria. What Uche tried to do is giving bad name to a dog in order to hang it. He failed to mention all other protests and processions carried out across the country, including the preelection rallies which are the determinants of the success of his pay masters. Uche had being concern about the issue of rights abuse raised by Dr. John Danfulani. Uche should understand that not only Danfulani but many other activists and freedom fighters are speaking about the too far taken oppression against IMN. The recent call was that of the United States of America.
Uche went ahead to say that “this intent at mischief thus manifested in the unsuccessful attempt at pushing the conspiracy theory that there is a concerted ‘trampling’ of Shiites when the reverse is the case. It is this misinformed position that sought to paint clash between IMN and Police in Kano as a continuation of the military operation that followed in the wake of an attempt on the life of the Chief of Army Staff by the sect members in Zaria almost one year ago.” He deliberately refuse to open up in this statement. On Monday, 14th of November, the IMN members were in a peaceful trek procession in order to demonstrate their love to the house of the holy prophet of Islam, Muhammad (SAWW). The Nigeria Police forced attacked the procession, thereby killing more than 100 and injuring hundreds of others. The Police lied that they killed only 8 people, but refused to hand over the corpses of the martyrs. The IG of the police also shamelessly lied that “Shi’ites were armed to the teeth.” Pictures and videos of the kick up of the trek and the police attack debunked his statement, therefore he could only produce some brand new cutlasses, torch lights, flags and clothes as the “armed to the teeth” weapons recovered from IMN. Reports revealed that the police dug graves for the massacred IMN members at Danbatta, Kano. It was genocide carried out against innocent defenceless civilians. It is with no doubt as Dr. John Danfulani said, that the attack on Arbaeen trek was part of the plan of the suppression of the Islamic movement in Nigeria which began on the 12th of December last year, where the Nigerian Army with the intention, knowledge and command of the Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari, the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Yusuf Buratai, the Kaduna state governor, Malam Nasiru Ahmed Elrufai and others carried out what was undoubtedly a massacre against IMN members in Zaria. The army disguised under alleged road blockade for the Chief of Army Staff and killed 1000+ of the members of IMN. Uche intentionally failed to mentioned that since the Zaria massacre, the leader of the Islamic movement, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky has being in illegal detention of the DSS. The DSS shamelessly lied to the court that they are keeping him in “protective custody with his consent because he is vulnerable.” I wonder who is the DSS protecting him from.
The writer continued by saying the decision of Kaduna state governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai to proscribe IMN derives from the finding of the Judicial commission of inquiry and can therefore not be dismissed as a measure to clamp down on religious or sectarian expression but rather it was a step taken to save the rest of the state’s population from the toxin spread by the IMN. What a display of ignorance and irresponsibility! It could be recalled that the Kaduna state Governor “banned” IMN in Kaduna state, tagging it as an unlawful society. Since then, human rights activists, freedom fighters and responsible personalities have being calling the attention of the Kaduna state governor, alerting him that he has no right to take that decision. The “ban” placed on IMN induced public condemnation globally. Protests were staged at different places to condemn the Kaduna state governor’s nescience. Uche failed to mention that one of the members of the said commission of inquiry write an article pointing out that the “ban” on IMN is not part of their recommendations. The Kaduna state governor failed to recognize any of the recommendations of the commission which include prosecution of the men of the Nigerian army that partook in the Zaria massacre. Rather, he turned to suppress the IMN whom he see as a threat to his dictatorship style of governance.
Uche also wrote on the article that “as has been the case since IMN declared war on the country – fighting security agencies on the streets and unleashing satanic propaganda – Danfulani conveniently side stepped the report of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) which recommended the prosecution of IMN leader, Sheik Ibraheem AlZakyzaky for precipitating the December incident.” This is another ridiculous statement. Where, when and how the Islamic movement declared war on the country? This is obviously an unprofessional accusation. The writer should have mention time, place and other important points which will enable his readers to clearly understand him. The report of the National Human Rights Commission didn’t only call for the prosecution of Sheikh Zakzaky, but also the Nigerian army officers that participated in the massacre. But Uche failed to mention that because it doesn’t suit his interest and that of the sponsors of his article. The prosecution system include the police, court and prison. The Nigerian government is afraid of taking Sheikh Zakzaky to the court because they don’t have any case to charge him for. They know very well that he will definitely defeat them as he use to even without lawyers. Uche also wrote, “With members continuing to use anything – demand for AlZakyzaky’s release, Ashura procession, or just any other loophole to take to the streets, it was a matter of time before adherents of other beliefs found it necessary to repel what they perceived as a growing threat.” In this statement also, Uche failed to open up and explain it clearly. It is part of the activities of the IMN to organise processions, rallies, protests and demonstrations to celibate, condemn or commemorate some occasions time after time. For many years, these occasions had being peacefully carried out without any problem except in few, where the security operatives open fire on the processions. Recently, there has being hoodlum state sponsored attacks against IMN which led to the death of some IMN members and destruction of properties of IMN members in Kaduna, Plateau, Sokoto and Katsina states. This is what Uche referred to as “repel what they perceived as growing threats.” He neither blame the government for sponsoring the attacks, nor the hoodlums at least for taking laws in to their hands which led to death and destruction of properties. I don’t know if Uche has any law which can justify this act.
The writer continued “Having been heavily criticized for not preventing public uprising against IMN members, the Nigeria Police Force deployed on the strength of intelligence report to prevent what could have turned out to be a major disaster but Danfulani opted to see this differently. Instead he saw a sect that was being framed; he may wish to explain what he knows about the distribution of the series of Iranian origin weapons that have been intercepted in the past.” Like before, Uche is referring to the police attack on the Arbaeen symbolic trek. I wonder how will an event that has being holding for years, suddenly become a disaster. This is another move to justify genocide. Thank God, Dr. John Danfulani was present at the kick up point of the trek and also when the police started attacking. His testimonies are that of an eye witness. Uche raised an issue of Iranian weapon, but failed to mention time, place and its relation to the Islamic movement in Nigeria. For his information, like all other countries and group of people, Iran is part of them.
The article also states that Danfulani “extended his vitriol to media for not reporting and analyzing events from the IMN viewpoint”, this is undoubtedly true. If not because of the failure of media houses in reporting events from IMN view point, the immediate cause of the Zaria massacre would have been known to the public, not the alleged “road blockade”. This is because prior to the arrival of the convoy of the Chief of Army Staff, some men of the Nigerian army went to Hussainiyya Baqiyyatullah and shot some members of the Islamic movement, disguising as giving protection to their Chief that was about to arrive.
While am waiting for Uche’s response on issues I raised to him on this rejoinder, I am also craving the indulgence of all people of conscience to keep speaking, struggling and calling for the release of the IMN leader, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky, his wife, corpses of massacred IMN members for proper burial, our Zaria girls that were abducted after rape and torture including physical assault on their private parts as confirmed by some of our survivors, and hundreds other members of IMN that are in different detention facilities across the country.
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