- A new report has alleged that the Nigerian federal government has not done anything about soldiers implicated in killing of Shi’ites
- In 2015, soldiers and members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, IMN, clashed in Zaria, Kaduna state and this led to the killing of over 300 Shi’ites
- The report also alleged that the order, which awarded El-Zakzaky a sum of N25 million as restitution has also not been complied with
Nigerian federal government has been accused of not holding soldiers implicated in the killing of over 300 Shi’ites accountable according to the International Religious Freedom report released by the US Department of State’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labour for 2017.
Recall that sometime in 2015, soldiers and members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, IMN, clashed in Zaria, Kaduna state.
The clash led to the death of over 300 members of the IMN and detention of the leader, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, by Department of State Services, DSS.
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Vanguard also reports that the report said the order, which awarded El-Zakzaky a sum of N25 million as restitution, has also not been complied with.
“Human rights groups continued to report the Federal Government often failed to prevent, quell, or respond to violence affecting religious groups, particularly in the north eastern and central regions of the country.
“In November, Kano state police fired tear gas and bullets, killing three members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria during its annual Ashura procession.
‘’The government continued to detain the leader of the IMN, the country’s largest Shia group, and restrict the activities, free movement, and free association of its members.
“There were no reports of accountability for soldiers implicated in the December 2015 clash between the army and IMN members that, according to a Kaduna State government report and reports from non-government observers, left at least 348 IMN members and one soldier dead, with IMN members buried in a mass grave.
“The government stated publicly that Sheikh El-Zakzaky, leader of the IMN and a prominent Shia cleric, would remain in what it said was ‘protective custody’ pending the appeal of the December 2016 decision of the Federal High Court in Abuja that the government must release him," the report said.
The news outlet reports further that Texas Chukwu, spokesman of Nigerian Army could not be reached on phone for comments on the report.
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Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had reported that a senior lawyer in Nigeria, Femi Falana, has criticised the federal government for the continued incarceration of El-Zakzaky, the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), as well as the handling of a recent protest by his members.
Channels Television reports Falana as saying in a statement that the security forces breached the fundamental rights of the protesters.
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Source: Naija.ng