Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III has warned the Federal Government not to allow the crisis between the military and the Islamic Movement of Nigeria to get out of hand.
The revered monarch called on President Muhammadu Buhari to constitute a judicial commission of inquiry to look into the clash, recalling that the Boko Haram insurgency that the country is facing started in a similar manner.
He made the observations in a statement by Alhaji Ishaq Oloyede, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA).
The statement reads: “While there are claims and counter-claims on what actually precipitated the latest heart-rending incident, the NSCIA urges the authorities to exercise restraint.
“The history of the circumstances that engendered the outbreak of militant insurgency in the past, with cataclysmic consequences that Nigeria is yet to recover from, should not be allowed to repeat itself.
“We urge the Federal Government to immediately constitute a judicial commission of inquiry to thoroughly unravel the immediate and remote causes of the current mayhem. Besides, the commission should also investigate the past incidents involving the movement so that justice can be done.
“The sanctity of human life is inviolable in Islam and painstaking efforts should be made at all times to prevent bloodshed. In other words, life is sacred and the fundamental responsibility of government is to guarantee the security of life and property.
“While no group should be allowed to constitute law unto itself or arrogate unconstitutional powers to itself under any guise, the fact still remains that the position of law is clear when there is any breach. Therefore, as order is the first law of heaven, normalcy and restraint should be taken seriously.
“May the Almighty Allah guide our leaders right and guard us Nigerians against our own indiscretion at all times.”
The military and the sect led by Shiek Ibrahim Zakzaky have been trading blames over a crisis that broke out in Zaria, Kaduna State, on Saturday.
Col Sani Kakusheka Usman, spokesman of the army, alleged that followers of Zakzaky attempted to assassinate Tukur Buratai, Chief of Army Staff, an allegation that the movement denied. Zakzaky is reportedly in military custody, while some 300 of his members were killed in the clash.
This is not the first time that the movement would clash with soldiers. Last year, some members of the movement, including two sons of Zakzaky, were killed during a similar crisis.
Iran calls Nigeria to stop crackdown on Shiites
Following last Saturday’s violent clash between the Nigerian Army and members of the Muslim sect, Shiite, in Zaria, Kaduna State, Iran has called on Nigerian authorities to respect religious figures and sites.
“Nigeria… is now dealing with problems arising from extremism and Takfiri terrorism and we hope that in these conditions, preservation of calm and national unity in battling terrorism is prioritized while rash and unconstructive measures are avoided,” IRNA quoted Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hossein Jaber-Ansari as saying on Sunday.
Jaber-Ansari expressed sorrow over the recent bloody clashes, which broke out between Muslim worshippers and government troops at the weekend.
Armed forces raided the home of the leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, Shiek Ibrahim El-Zakzaky and arrested him after reportedly killing several of those protecting him including one of the group’s senior leaders, its spokesman, son and wife.
Since El-Zakzaky was arrested by the Nigerian troops, his fate has remained unknown.
However, since Saturday’s violent clash, there has been war of words between the Nigerian Army and the sect over who instigated the clash that led to the deathe of members of the movement.
While the Army is accusing the Shiite followers of attempting to assassinate Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff Tukur Buratai, the Islamic movement said soldiers simply decided to attack “defenceless people.”
A statement by the Army spokesperson Sani Usman, said Shiite members barricaded the road Buratai’s motorcade was passing on to pay homage to the Emir of Zazzau, and also attend a review parade by 73 Regular Recruit Intake at the Nigerian Army Depot in Zaria.
Usman said all entreaties to get the sect members to steer clear of the federal highway met strong resistance.
But in a swift counter-reaction, the El-zakzaky-led Shiite sect said the Army spokesman was lying.
A statement by Isak K and posted on the website of the sect, said the claim that the COAS “narrowly escaped assassination as a result of attack from Muslim brothers and sisters of the Islamic Movement is a blatant lie.”
The statement said Usman’s claim “raises series of questions in the mind of right thinking people.”
It said members of the movement who were unarmed were gathered for a ceremony at their Husainiyyah base, to change the flag on the dome of the building to herald the beginning of the month of Rabiul/Auwal – the birth month of the Prophet of Islam, Prophet Muhammad.
“Any excuse given by the military as reason for besieging Hussainiyyah and firing for hours, leading to the death of yet to be specified number of people, is considered a lie of the decade,” the movement said.
-TheCable/Vanguard