Governor
Nasir El Rufai of Kaduna state has said that he decided to declared the famous
Shi’ites group, the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) an unlawful society
because its activities was an insurgency waiting to happen.
Governor El Rufai who spoke to a select-group of
journalists Monday, said that IMN leader, Sheikh Ibraheem El Zakzaky was not
practicing the doctrine of Shi’ism but was gathering enough members in order to
stage an Iranian-type Islamic revolution in Nigeria.
The governor clarified that he neither banned the Shiite
sect nor Shi’ism in Kaduna state but merely invoked the powers conferred on him
by the penal code which was enacted in 1963, to declare IMN an unlawful
society.
According to El Rufai, the government only declared IMN
illegal but there are two other Shi’ite sects that are carrying on with their
activities freely in Kaduna state. He argued that it is wrong to equate only
IMN with Shi’ism, adding that IMN is just one group that professes the doctrine
but there are several others.
‘’There is also a misconception that IMN is the same
thing as Shiites; it is only one sect out of many Shiite organizations. There
is one Shiite group that is headquartered here in Kaduna, which is headed by
Sheikh Hamza Lawal. He used to be with IMN but he left them when he realized
that IMN is more interested in political struggles than religious development,
‘’ he said.
El Rufai said that Sheikh Hamza appeared before the
Justice Lawal Garba Judicial Commission of Inquiry and gave evidence by saying
that ‘’there is nothing in Shia doctrine that says that you should not
recognize the government of your country.’’
He pointed out that the government cannot ban any
religious organization or practice in the state but that the penal code gives
him the powers to declare any organization as an unlawful society ‘’if it poses
a threat to the security, peace and governance of the state.’’
‘’We
concluded, after receiving the report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry
that looked into the clashes between IMN and the army, that IMN poses a threat
to the security, peace and governance of the state,’’ he said, adding that ‘’we
did not ban Shiism, we did not ban Shiites, we did not say that they can’t
practice their religion.’’
Adducing more reasons why he declared IMN an unlawful society, the Governor
said that the group ‘’does not recognize the constitution of Nigeria. They do
not recognize Buhari as president. They do not recognize me as governor of
Kaduna state, they had their own governor in Tudun Wada.’’
According
to him, IMN have their own paramilitary personnel which they call ‘’Hurras’’
and they used to bear arms in violation of the Nigerian laws. ‘’And they do not
accept that any law in Nigeria applies to them,’’ he further said.
The
governor pointed out that ‘’because they do not recognize any law in Nigeria,
IMN is not registered with Corporate Affairs Commission. So, they cannot be
sued or held responsible for their actions. They build anywhere they find land,
they do not even bother to apply for land titles.’’
El Rufai
also said that IMN used to block public high ways and occupy schools during
their processions. ‘’In the practice of their religion, they infringed on the
rights of others and that is completely wrong in Islam.’’
‘’So, if
you put all these together, you will realize that IMN was an insurgency that
was waiting to happen. IMN was a political organization. The intention of
El-Zakzaky was to gather enough followers to effect an Iranian-type revolution
in Nigeria. Nigeria is not a 100% Muslim country that you can do that kind of
revolution,’’ El-Rufai said.
In spite
of the fact that IMN has been declared an unlawful organization, El-Rufai
however said that it is wrong for citizens to take the law into their hands by
attacking them.
He said
that those who attacked some IMN members during the last Ashura celebrations
have been apprehended and being prosecuted in court.
Comments