PRESS STATEMENT:Desperate moves by DSS to link IMN to violence

Last Friday, the Department of State Services (DSS), on Friday issued a statement that they uncovered plans by Boko Haram to attack Abuja and some northern cities like Kano, Sokoto, Kaduna and Maiduguri by infiltrating what they termed the ranks of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN). According to this malicious report, terrorists would join IMN members in their procession and unleash mayhem in the cities.

 

IMN finds this statement by DSS to be quite ridiculous. First, this is an unintelligent overused storyline aimed at unleashing mayhem on innocent civilians and attributing it to other people. In this case, the DSS had wanted to plant explosives in the aforementioned places and then make the claim that Boko Haram had infiltrated our ranks. This was exactly what they did a few days before the Zaria massacre In November, 2015, when they sent two suicide bombers to detonate their lethal load in the Kano axis of that year’s Arba’een trek. It resulted in the death of scores of our members. It will be recalled that DSS had earlier similarly issued a warning that they were aware of plots to detonate explosives in places of worship in Abuja, Kaduna and Kano. Thus, it is nothing new. DSS would be held responsible should explosives go off anywhere and it has nothing to do with IMN.

 

Secondly, if it were true that they have intelligence reports that a certain group intends to cause mayhem, and it was not their plot, they should have simply rounded them up and arrested them, thereby avoiding the unnecessary waste of civilian lives.

 

We have not forgotten how in the immediate period before the gruesome Zaria attacks of December 12, 2015 the so called Boko Haram announced their plan to exterminate members of IMN. We are all witnesses to what followed that announcement – the senseless and unjustified massive attacks on leader, members and properties of IMN as started by Nigerian army.

 

It is in this light that we view the present statement by the DSS to mean that they still want to further massively shed blood of innocent citizens. Thus, rather than use Boko Haram as a bait, they should have been bold enough to say they will infiltrate our peaceful processions to cause mayhem on the general public.

 

This is what they did in Kaduna on Friday, 23/06/17, when plain cloth security agents pretending to be thugs collaborated with soldiers and police and attacked the International Quds day procession in Kaduna metropolis. Clearly, Federal Government is playing the Boko Haram card to attack us. Friday’s (23/6/2017) attack was in broad daylight with many witnesses among whom were non-Muslim observers, human rights activists and other non- partisan witnesses.

 

It is shameful that explanations and excuses for the attack should come from the Army spokesman from 1 Mechanized Division, Col. Umoh. What brought the military in a purely civil matter except that the DSS had set the tone as they have done in the past as a prelude to attack us? The military spokesman even suggested that we were attacked by Kasuwan Barci community and they only came in to restore peace! indeed we were not attacked by any community. We are very much part of that community. We have stalls in the market and we are fully socialized with other members of that market community. The attack therefore has nothing to do with the market community. The thugs in display and action yesterday were ‘imported’ by the military/police coalition against us and were brought in police vehicles and their funding is from Kaduna state government.

 

What further gave them away in the sinister plot was when the DSS operative, Tony Opuiyo also warned members of the IMN to “desist from carrying out any form of demonstration as the terrorists will make use of the opportunity for their attacks.”

 

 We have seen all these before. Last year October 2016, during the annual Ashura procession, we were similarly attacked by the same coalition. It was clearly demonstrated that the thugs were even ferried in police vehicles. Was it any community too that did that?

 

The authorities had always sought to portray the belief that we are being attacked by the public. This has not been successful till this day. Was it the public that possess tear gas and live bullets and the military and police trucks used in the attacks? Was the community also responsible for the arrest of our members?

 

Finally, we wish to draw the attention of the world, and Nigerians in particular, to the fact that we remain committed to peaceful and legal pursuits of our rights. No amount of blackmail or intimidation would deter us. We reiterate our call for the immediate and unconditional release of our leader, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky and all those being unjustifiably held in Kaduna prison and other undisclosed detention  centres.

 

SIGNED BY

IBRAHIM MUSA

PRESIDENT MEDIA FORUM OF IMN

25/06/17

Skype: Ibrahim.musa42

​Army, Police attack pro-Palestinian protest in Kaduna injuring scores

By Abdulmumin Giwa 
In a joint operation by the Nigerian Army and the Police in Kaduna several people were injured when they attacked a peaceful annual pro-Palestinian protest march organized by the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) including children and women.

The Army and the Police who have earlier raised tension in Kaduna metropolis since the early hours of Friday going round major highways with two Armored Personnel Carriers and 20 Hilux vehicles load of Army and Police personnel attacked the peaceful protest that took place later in the afternoon firing teargas and shooting with live rounds.  

Several people including women and children were also arrested including a journalist reporting for the German International Radio Service.

Plain clothed security personnel were seen leading thugs carrying sticks and machetes attacking those suspected to be members of the IMN thereby inflicting injuries on many people and creating mayhem.

Eye witnesses have condemned the display of impunity by the government at Kasuwan Barchi community who are also not in good terms with the state governor who is planning to demolish their market but restrained by the court.

The Army spokesman from 1 Mechanized Division, Col. Umoh, told journalists that the pro-Palestinian protests in cities like Kano, Katsina, Sokoto and other places were all peaceful but in Kaduna he claimed there was a clash between the Shiites and members of the Kasuwan Barchi community making an effort to exonerate their dirty action.

In a joint press conference by the IMN and some civil rights organizations represented by Prince Deji Adeyanju the convener of Concerned Nigerians and Hon. Ebenizer Oyetakin condemned the level of impunity displayed by the government.

Representing the IMN Sheikh Yakubu Yahaya explained that the pro-Palestinian protest is an annual event that takes place every last Friday of the month of Ramadan to show support for the oppressed people of Palestine and to condemn the atrocities of the illegal state of Israel on the Palestinians. He added that it is also an issue of humanity because the victims of Israeli atrocities in Palestine are both Muslims and Christians.

The Sheikh further explained that the pro-Palestinian protest is commemorated everywhere across the globe and by people of all inclinations including the Jews who condemn the dirty works of the Zionists against humanity.

He dismissed the claim by the Federal Government that nobody wants the IMN leader as a neighbor asking how this claim could be possible when the leader has about 20 million followers. 

Prince Deji of the Concerned Nigerians group called on the Nigerian government to stop the impunity against the Shiites. He expressed concerned over how the Shiites have been turned into an endangered species in the country. He reminded the government that it is their duty to protect everyone as they have sworn to in their oath of office and that every Nigerian has the right to practice any religion of his choice as contained in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The human rights activist also called on the Nigerian government to release the leader of the IMN Sheikh Ibraheem Zaakzaky and his wife to them and they will provide him with accommodation.

In his response, Hon. Ebenezer Oyetakin who was also in Kaduna to observe the pro-Palestinian procession said that the IMN is not a violent group and called on the government to stop the stigmatization. 

In his response to a statement by the Minister of Information Lai Muhammed that no Nigerian wants Sheikh Zakzaky as a neighbor, the renowned activist said he doesn’t only want Sheikh Zakzaky as his neighbor but wants to live with him in his own house.

So far the efforts by the joint military and police operation to instigate crises between the IMN members and the communities in Kaduna has failed as the Shiites have refused to be intimidated and chosen the path of peace and tranquility with all.

Where is professionalism?

*This is not fair to us!*

Premiumtimesng is supporting authorities and doing their biddings.

Yesterday in Kaduna during the Quds Day procession, we were not attacked by any community. We were attacked by the military, the police and their hired thugs.

This was done in broad daylight with many witnesses among whom were non-Muslim observers, activists and other non- partisan witnesses.

It is wrong for the Premium Times to therefore toe the official tales that we were attacked by any community, when indeed we are very much part of that community. We have stalls in that market and fully socialize with other members of that market community. The attack has nothing to do with the market community. The thugs in display and action yesterday were ‘imported’ by the military/police coalition against us and were brought in police vehicles and their funding is from Kaduna state government.
Haven’t we seen before?
*#FreeZakzaky Campaign Committee, June 2017*

​Alleged attack on Shi’ite members: El-Rufai intolerant – Rights groupBy Amos Tauna on June 23, 2017

A human rights organisation, Anti Corruption Network has accused governor Nasir El-Rufai of being intolerant to the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) also known as Shiite group for no just cause.

The organization called on governor El-Rufai to ensure fairness and justice in dealing with all and sundry in the state for peace, unity and development.
‎The Executive Secretary of the organization, Mr. Ebenezer Oyetakin, who was in Kaduna to monitor the procession, said at a press conference, Friday, that the Shi’ite sect was not a violent group that any government should threaten their existence.
The Kaduna State Police and other security agents had dispersed the group who were said to be observing their annual qudus day through a procession, with tear gas and ‎gun shots with many reportedly injured.
He called on the Nigeria government to thread with caution to avoid the negative experiences of some countries when its citizens were pushed to the wall.
In the same vein, ‎the convener of Concerned Nigeria, Prince Deji Adeyanju, who was also in Kaduna to monitor the procession as a way of authenticating the negative narratives or otherwise about the shiite group, said, “What we experienced today is nothing ‎but the height of impunity where security agencies saddled with the responsibilities of protecting her citizens decided to use tear gas to disperse a peaceful procession to the point of shooting with live ammunition.
My wishes for Nigeria – Osinbajo
“This is what we witnessed; police started with tear gas and fired live bullet and it is rather unfortunate‎. We are calling for the release of the leader of the IMN, Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky and his wife in accordance with the court ruling.
“The same procession took place peacefully in Katsina, Gombe and Nasarawa with no fracas of any sort; why should Kaduna’s own be different? What transpired baffled me is because it was a peaceful process.”
Earlier, one of the leaders of the group, Sheikh Yakubu Yahaya who spoke with an emotion laddened voice wondered why security agents would open fire on armless citizens on peaceful procession.
He alleged that some governors may have been contracted to kill the Shi’ite group in Nigeria, stressing, ”We have taken our case to Allah and will continue to seek legal redress accordingly as law abiding citizens.
“The security agents loaded in about 15 trucks heavily armed descended ‎on the armless citizens on peaceful procession, as at now, we are aware that one person was shot and several people sustained various degrees of injuries.”
Meanwhile, when the Acting Police Public Relation Officer‎ (PPRO) ASP Mustapha Mohammed confirmed that it was true that security agents stopped the procession to prevent break down of law and order.
He added that investigation into what transpired was on-going but, however, did not confirm any casualty as of the time of filing the report.

Balancing human rights and national security (2)

By FESTUS OKOYE

Before dealing with some of the weighty issues relating to the continued detention of Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky and his wife, Zeenat, on ground of “balancing” human rights and national security, it is important to clear some preliminary issues.
There is a rebuttable presumption that the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has read the judgement of the Federal High Court, Abuja delivered on the 2nd day of December 2016 by the Hon. Justice Gabriel Kolawole relating to the detention of Zakzaky and his wife. I say this because I presume that the Hon. Minister must have perused the said judgement before propounding the “balancing theory of human rights and national security”.
I am fortified in my assumption because it will be unfortunate if the Hon. Minister made the comments that he made without the benefit of reading the judgement delivered by a Judge of the Federal High Court.
There is also a rebuttable presumption that the Hon. Minister of Information and Culture has read and is abreast of the Supreme Court judgement in the case of Gov.; of Lagos State v. Ojukwu (1986)1 NWLR (Part 18)621. If he has read the said judgement delivered in 1986 at the height of military rule in Nigeria and still maintains the position that in a democratic Nigeria, the Executive has the right to edit, abridge, violate and or treat the orders of a properly constituted courts of law with impunity then, we have not learnt the correct lessons from our recent past.
I will as much as possible detach myself from the findings, conclusions and orders of the Hon. Justice Kolawole relating to the detention of Zakzaky and his wife and allow my Lord the Hon. Justice Kolawole to respond to the issues raised by my friend the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, and as amplified by the Hon. Minister of Information and Culture, Mohammed. The suit filed by Zakzaky and his wife had three respondents.
The 1st respondent was the State Security Service, the second respondent was the Nigeria Police Force and the third respondent was the Attorney General of the Federation. In his judgement of the 2nd day of December 2016, Justice Kolawole first reflected on the constitutional and legal prognosis of keeping a Nigerian citizen in “protective custody”.
“Let me pause here and state that when I reflected on the submissions of the 1st and 3rd respondents’ counsel, I also contemporaneously pondered on the submissions of the applicant’s counsel, and out of sheer judicial curiosity, I asked myself these questions: To hold or detain the applicant and his wife in a “protective custody” for their own safety was a power exercised based on what provisions of the Constitution?
This is because, the thrust of the applicant’s counsel’s submissions, was that the concept of “protective custody” for an adult citizen, is unknown to any law in Nigeria. Secondly, has the 1st and 3rd respondents produced evidence of any security reports on the basis of which the applicant and his wife were held, based on the depositions in the applicant’s “Further and Better Affidavit” against their wish?
Thirdly, I have not been shown any police “incident report” of any complaint lodged by any member of the public who lives within the neighbourhood of the applicant’s residence which indicate that the applicant has become a “public nuisance” to the neighbourhood. Fourthly, prior to the events of 12th/14th December, 2015, does it not appear, that it was the alleged act of soldiers, ostensibly of the Nigerian Army that may have precipitated the unrest within the applicant’s neighbourhood because, by the deposition of Ayodeji Ibitoye in paragraph 9 of the 1st and 3rd Respondents’ “Counter-Affidavit”, the “Boko Haram” group “had operated quietly just like the Islamic Movement of Nigeria members”.
These are issues which the 1st and 3rd respondents’ counsel needs to address in order to overcome the burden of proof which the applicant’s suit has shifted on the respondents.
These are some of the thorny issues which must be effectively interrogated vis-à-vis the disposition documentary exhibits produced to prove and to disprove the allegations which formed the kernel of the applicant’s cause of action as it’s depicted in the “affidavit in support of the Originating Motion on Notice.”
On the consequences of the continued detention of Zakzaky and his wife “in protective custody”, Justice Kolawole responded thus in response to the arguments of the counsel to the State Security Service and the Attorney General of the Federation.
“The 1st and 3rd respondents counsel submitted that the applicant “is in a protective custody to save his life and the lives of a good number of Nigerians in case the applicant should die”.
Again, when I read this submission, my thought goes to the fact as deposed in paragraph 9 of the 1st and 3rd respondents’ “Counter-Affidavit”, that the death of the former leader of “Boko Haram”, Mohammed Yusuf ignited the gory and horrendous campaign of violence which the said group had unleashed on Nigeria since 2011 because, he reportedly died whilst in the custody of the Nigeria Police Force.
The same repercussion, I dare say, may only occur by my assessment of the facts in the instant case, if the applicant (I pray that this never occurred to him) were to die, either when his residence was allegedly invaded by soldiers with sporadic shootings in which three of his sons were allegedly killed, or if he had died whilst in transit between the Nigerian Army who captured him after the invasion of his residence and of his being handed over to the 1st respondent, or whilst in the custody of the 1st respondent.The prognosis of the likely incidents of his being held in a “protective custody” since 15/12/15 may not occur, if the applicant, for instance, dies from natural causes or due to old age, or in circumstances which could never have been attributable to the state or any of its agents.
So, in my view, greater risk is run and undertaken by the 1st and 3rd respondents in keeping the applicant in a “protective custody” when there is no evidence of a request which he himself has made to that effect to the 2nd respondent as the umbrella body that has primary responsibility under the Police Act, Cap. P.19, LFN 2004 to protect lives and properties of every Nigerian and to maintain law and order. Where the applicant on his own, or convinced by such security reports (none of which was produced to this court to see, even if in camera in the context of the provision of Section 36(4) (b) of the CFRN, 1999 As Amended) produced by the 1st respondent that his life is in danger, may apply to the 2nd respondent for “police protection” from such threats, and not to be confined with his wife in a “protective custody” as was being argued by the 1st and 3rd respondents’ counsel”.
On the issue of whether a Nigerian citizen can be held in protective custody against his wish, Justice Kolawole surmised thus: “The primary question which the 1st and 3rd respondents’ counsel is yet to answer and perhaps, overcome as a legal hurdle, is to cite the law, whether by the 1st respondent’s enabling Act, i.e. the National Security Agencies Act, supra or the provisions of the Constitution, by which a citizen can be held, against his wish in a “protective custody” when, prior to the incident of 12th/14th December 2015, there had been no report of any threat to his life brought to his attention, nor of any compliant or report lodged with the Police Force Division in his neighbourhood of plans by his “disaffected” neighbours to want to attack and kill him.
It really does not matter in my view, the quality of welfare attention which the applicant may be enjoying in the custody of the 1st respondent, the question is: Is there any evidence, based on the ‘Affidavit” and “Counter- Affidavit” filed by both parties to prove that the applicant consents to his being held ostensibly for his own interests?
When I read the depositions in the “Further and Better Affidavit” deposed to by Abubakar Marshall, I am unable to accept the view, that the applicant consents to his being detained in the custody of the 1st respondent.” Having cleared the constitutional and legal hurdle of “protective custody Justice Kolawole proceeded to show that he understands the intersection between human rights and national security. What orders did the Judge make and what are the implications of the continued detention of Sheikh Zakzaky and his wife, Zeenat?
*_to be continued_*
This discourse was published in: 

*New Telegraph Newspaper*

_Sanctity of Truth_

*Brought to you by #FreeZakzaky Campaign Committee, June 2017.*

Balancing human rights and national security (1)

By FESTUS OKOYE

There is a thin line separating respect and observance of human rights and its consequent violation on grounds of national security.
Respect, observance and enforcement of human rights by the state is not a function of optional charity but underlines the goodness of open societies founded on the rule of law and due process.
Sometimes, the progress and stability of countries are measured and anchored on their human rights record and countries that serially violate the rights of their citizens are classified as pariah states.
Of course, it is not always easy to respect and observe the rights of the people especially in countries with a history of conflict, economic and political challenges. In such societies, the state is always tempted to rule outside the law and the constitution. It is on this score that modern constitutions recognize the primacy of respect and protection of the human rights of the citizens and the need to carefully and restrictively derogate from the observance of human rights on grounds of national security.
The framers of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) recognize the fact that the government and some of its institutions and agencies may abuse the exceptions to the fundamental rights in Chapter IV of the Constitution and on that score decided to vest the power of maintaining the boundaries of the rights in a different organ of government.
In other words, the framers of the constitution did not give any individual or institution the option to capriciously derogate from the fundamental rights of the Nigerian people.
The constitution on its own delineates the parameters under which the fundamental rights of the citizen can be abridged and gives only to the judiciary the power and mandate to determine when and whether the institutions of government have exercised their powers within the parameters of the law.
One remarkable aspect of the Nigerian Constitution is that section 46(1) protects anticipatory breach of rights and provides that any person who alleges that any of the provisions of Chapter IV has been, is being or likely to be contravened in any State in relation to him may apply to a High Court in that State for redress while section 46(2) provides that subject to the provisions of the Constitution, a High Court shall have original jurisdiction to hear and determine any application made to it in pursuance of the section and may make such orders, issue such writs and give such directions as it may consider appropriate for the purpose of enforcement or securing the enforcement within that State of any right to which the person who makes the application may be entitled to.
Those exercising executive powers in the government are fully aware that the judiciary is the only arm or organ of government vested with the power of pronouncing the actions of government or any of its agencies as constitutional or unconstitutional.
It is therefore an incongruity and patently unacceptable for an individual to vary the orders and judgement of a court of law and mock the judiciary by declaring that the executive arm of government is the repository of judicial powers.
I make these preliminary comments bearing in mind the pronouncement of my good friend Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity and Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the Hon. Minister of Information and Culture on why Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky, the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) and Col. Sambo Dasuki are still being held in detention.
Garba Shehu posited while addressing State House Correspondents on Tuesday the 23rd day of May 2017 that the Federal Government of Nigeria is still holding Dasuki because there are additional charges against him for which he has not been granted bail.
He stated that security agencies were still conducting investigations on some allegations against the ex-National Security Adviser and this forms the crux of his continued detention.
On Zakzaky, the leader of IMN, Shehu asserted that he is still in detention for his own safety.
He further stated that the government fears that there would be a breakdown of law and order if Zakzaky was allowed to go home as “Government has a responsibility to ensure his safety”.
He pointed out that Zakzaky “is not in a prison type of detention. “He is in the company of his wife and children voluntarily” and that “government is being compassionate on this matter.
There is an overall public good that government is looking at in this matter.” The Minister of Information and Culture, on his own part, spoke in the same vein.
Featuring on Osasu Show, the minister stated that: “Every government will balance national security with human rights; every country in the world. It is the level of the balancing.
As a government, I will balance national security against human rights; and then I will take a decision. Because there is security, there is stability that the courts also exist.
What I am saying (is) that the court has ruled but the court does not have the entire picture when it comes to national security. I am a lawyer too; therefore, I have utmost respect for the judiciary.
“You can’t pick two, three cases which bother on national security to condemn a whole government and say this government is a government of impunity. How many cases are determined daily in Nigeria? I still say every government has that right to balance national security.”
I do not have sufficient information on the trajectory of the cases involving Col. Dasuki.
The cases involving him and those he is involved in have traversed domestic and regional courts and I have lost count of the number of bail applications filed and granted and or refused.
I am only aware of the fact that he has been arraigned before a properly constituted court of law and granted bail and that bail has not been honoured. I am also aware that he filed a suit before the ECOWAS Court and the government has not honoured the judgement of the ECOWAS Court.
In the case of Zakzaky, he has never been confronted with any allegation of the commission of any offence known to the laws of Nigeria or unknown to the laws of Nigeria.
He has never been arraigned before any court of law in Nigeria or outside Nigeria. He has repeatedly pleaded to be charged to court if he has committed any offence and his request has been turned down.
He has repeatedly pleaded to be allowed to seek medical attention to prevent the loss of both eyes and his request has been turned down.
In the absence of any other option, he approached the Federal High Court Abuja for the enforcement of his fundamental right and the Federal High Court ordered for his unconditional release.
Now Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity is not a lawyer but Lai Mohammed is a senior member of the Bar.
I am willing to make excuses for Garba Shehu for thinking that the judgement of a Court of Law can be edited, abridged or varied by the Executive branch of government on grounds of national security interests.
But I am sure that he knows that constitutionally, the powers that the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary wield are the powers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and that no branch of the government can or is permitted to assume superiority in terms of knowledge of national security issues and interests over other arms of government.
However, I am not ready to make or offer excuses for the Honourable Minister of Information and Culture in relation to the casting and profiling of the issues surrounding the continued detention of Zakzaky and his wife. As a lawyer, the Honourable Minister knows the law and the constitution.
The minister has been in the barricade in defense of the fundamental rights of the citizens of Nigeria to free speech and freedom of association. So what has changed and what has led to the balancing and editing of the powers of the judiciary by the executive branch of government?
What are the facts and what are the issues relating to the continued detention of Zakzaky and his wife, Zeenat Ibrahim?
Did the office of the Attorney General of the Federation that represented the Department of State Services (DSS), the Police at the Federal High Court, Abuja canvass the issue of state security and protective custody before the court? What orders did the court make and why is it difficult for the government to obey the orders of a properly constituted court of law?
What are the implications of the refusal of the government to obey the orders of its own court?
*_to be continued_*
This discourse was published in: 

*New Telegraph Newspaper*
_Sanctity of Truth_

*Brought to you by #FreeZakzaky Campaign Committee, June 2017.*

DETENTION OF SHEIKH ZAKZAKY: YET SOME MORE BAREFACED LIES BY LAI

 

The Minister of Information, Mr Lai Mohammed, on Thursday spoke to Channels TV on the continued illegal detention of Sheikh Zakzaky, insisting that he is in “protective custody” with his family. The Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) finds this absurd and an insult on the collective intelligence of the good people of Nigeria and the international community.

 

Why should the executive arm of the government still insist on “protective custody” defence of their contemptuous posture, when the federal high court in Abuja had rejected that notion categorically and set our leader, Sheikh Zakzaky free? The judiciary was emphatically against the argument by the government of “protective custody” alibi, insisting that it has no place in the constitution or any laws known to man.

 

A further insult on the intelligence of Nigerians was when Lai went on to claim that Sheikh Zakzaky is not being detained by the known detaining authorities in Nigeria because he is not in prison or in Department of State Services (DSS) or police cell but in a “house” with his family. This blatant lie should make the Minister bury his head in shame. Firstly, what do you call detention if the detainee’s liberties are curtailed so much as to deny him free movement and association? Sheikh Zakzaky is being denied his rights to freely move and associate. He is being denied access to even medical care of his choice and the last time he saw his lawyers was over a year ago. Secondly, what the world knows is that he is in the custody of DSS, and that is the fact. To say anything that would suggest that he isn’t in the custody of DSS is extremely dishonest. The assertion by the Minister even went to the extreme of implying that the Sheikh is in a house built for him by the Federal government as ordered by the court. This fraudulent lie by Lai is felonious to put it mildly. We challenge the Federal government to open the gates of the house and invite journalists, his supporters and the international community to visit him in the house to gauge the degree of his freedom!

 

Mr Lai’s shameless lies were simply inexhaustible.  He went further to suggest that the Federal government attempted to obey the court order by building a house for him, but was deterred by people not wanting to accept to be his neighbours. This is a gross perversion of truths by the Minister. In the first place, the Federal High court had ordered the Federal government to build a house for the Sheikh in Kaduna or any town of his choice in northern Nigeria. As far as we know, neither the Sheikh nor his solicitors were approached by the government to enquire about the Sheikh’s choice of his new residence. So how did the government go about looking for where to build the house? Secondly, we again challenge the government to publicise the places it went about seeking for the new residence and were turned back by neighbours, and we would in turn show people who are more than willing to be Sheikh’s neighbours in such places. Our response therefore to the sarcastic rhetoric by Lai that where they will release Sheikh Zakzaky to since nobody wants to be a neighbour is to simply say that they should release him and see the millions of willing neighbours from among his followers and sympathisers.

 

Notwithstanding these recent somersaults by the Federal government through Lai and Garba Shehu on the continued unjustifiable detention of the Sheikh and his wife in contempt of the court, we will not relent in our unequivocal call for the immediate and unconditional release of both and all the other members of the Islamic Movement being detained in various detention facilities including underground cells.

 

SIGNED BY

IBRAHIM MUSA

PRESIDENT MEDIA FORUM OF IMN

18/06/17

Skype: Ibrahim.musa42

As pressure mounts, Buhari’s government becomes fretful

Since the last few weeks when there has been an intensification of #FreeZakzaky campaigns in all fronts, the government of Buhari has been made to speak incoherently in discordant tones.
On the home front, there were continued #FreeZakzaky processions, especially that #500days since the illegal detention of Sheikh Zakzaky in Abuja and the follow up processions at the Human Rights Commission in Abuja, Kaduna and other towns.
There were also renewed calls from the legal team of the Islamic Movement for the acting President to obey court judgements. In the same vein, many prominent Nigerians have come to increasingly make open and clear declarations seeking the release of Sheikh #Zakzaky in obedience of court orders. Prominent among these recent calls were those from Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) and even Prof Sagay. There have also been media pressure as well with some insightful articles, commentaries and editorials. Even on the legal front, courts have started to view negatively the government of Buhari and have aptly labelled it repressive. The House of representatives only recently cited the continued detention of Sheikh #Zakzaky as example of how the executive arm of government is increasingly becoming repressive and anarchistic. Added to these were pressures from civil society and other Rights groups such as concerned Nigerians and Amnesty International.

On the international scene, pressure was mounted by the visit of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and her meeting with members of the #FreeZakzaky Campaign Committee as well as other civil society groups. On the diplomatic front, the recent refusal to sell Nigeria weapons and combat planes by the US government because of Human Rights abuses including the continued detention of Sheikh Zakzaky against court orders apparently jolted the government severely. Then there was the joint statement by Human Rights groups at the ongoing 35th session of the UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva condemning the human rights record of the Buhari administration and the continued detention of Sheikh Zakzaky.
These plethora of activism at home and abroad made top government officials start to have verbal diarrhoea and begin to sing their discordant tones in trying to justify the unjustifiable. Notable ones in this infamous shame are Information Minister, Lai Mohammed and Presidential aide Garba Shehu.
Whatever it is, the government is feeling the pinch but their only let off will be the immediate release of Sheikh #Zakzaky in conformity with court judgement and the rule of law.
*_This is brought to you by:_* 
*#FreeZakzaky Campaign Committee*
 *_June, 2017_*

REFLECTIONS: FreeZakzaky Campaign Committee

*#FreeZakzaky Campaign Committee, in continuation of its look back at some successes in the last 18 months since #Zariagenocide, will today remind us about the altruistic character of Sheikh Zakzaky (H), which earned him international acclaim and laurels. This was what we his followers imbibed.*
 *This has very much helped our cause in the struggle to #FreeZakzaky👇🏼Happy reading:*

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*Sheikh Zakzaky and the Islamic Movement in Nigeria have been commended severally in the past for being the largest single voluntary blood donors in the country.*
*The practice of massive voluntary blood donation campaigns by members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria has continued even after the infamous brutal #ZariaMassacre*
*_Wednesday June 14, is World Blood Donations Day. Members of the Islamic Movement will again show the World that members of the IMN donate blood freely to save other people’s lives even as the government sheds their blood to exterminate them._*
*_ISMA, the medical care initiatives of IMN will bring out a schedule of how the Movement will partner with National Blood Transfusion Services in the drive towards this year’s campaigns in various places_*
*Watch out!*
*Brought to you by #FreeZakzaky Campaign Committee*

The evil called secession

By Abdulmumin Giwa

Those going to promise support and arms to the secessionists are the same people that go to tell the government to keep Nigeria one and they will be the same people telling the north not to accept the Igbos. 

Their plan is to render Nigeria ungovernable so that they will take over our resources.  They have done the same thing in Somalia, Libya and other places and if they are able to bring Nigeria down then they can have a field day in Africa. They are just after our natural resources most of which we are yet to even exploit. Let’s not be so foolish to allow them to use us to destroy ourselves. All the hardships we are facing are instituted and not natural. Come back to your senses before you begin to migrate to neighboring countries looking for what to eat while the entire country is filled with American and European so-called peace keeping forces stealing natural resources. It will be a stupid thing to do.