FG's Charges Against IMN Should Scare All Muslims

Sharia

After protests by Shiites forced the Buhari regime to speed up legal proceedings on the illegal detention of the leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria , Sheikh Ibrahim Yakub Zakzaky, the government has been
forced to expose the motives for its actions. 

On 28th August, the Buhari government laid out its case.  In a 56-paragraphed counter-affidavit deposed by Deputy Commissioner of police in charge of operation, FCT, Enyinnaya Adiogu, it was stated: “That from history and facts available, the Movement Called Islamic Movement of Nigeria founded by El-Zakzaky has its sole aim of creating an Islamic State”.

The Buhari government has declared that the major reason it holds Zakzaky as a terrorist is that the group seeks to turn Nigeria into an Islamic republic. In other words, it has become an act of terror to say or do anything that could tilt Nigeria towards Islam. 

Kaduna state governor, Nasir El Rufai, was the first government official to make that statement in 2017.

If Zakzaky (a Shiite) has been declared a terrorist for 'trying to make Nigeria Islamic' then, even a Sunni or any non-Shiite will be declared a terrorist should they express a similar desire. 

We will see the hypocrisy in this when we consider the fact that Buhari gained fame and power on the wings of Islam. Imams and scholars got the masses of northern Nigeria inured to Buhari by selling the notion that a Buhari Presidency will help secure an Islamic future for Nigeria, especially in the north. 

This statement by the Buhari regime has proved those tales to be a hoax. Devout Muslims of Nigeria must realize that we are walking into a trap because we are blinded by irrational hate.

There is more than meets the eye in the bloody crackdown on Shiites that we have seen in recent years. 

Since the regime of Sani Abacha when Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky was last detained, the Shiite community had no confrontation with the Federal government of Nigeria until 2014 when the IMN launched its maiden edition of Qud’s Day in Nigeria. 

The regime of Goodluck Ebele Jonathan deployed heavily armed personnel to break the procession, 34 Shiites were killed in the crackdown including three sons of Ibrahim Zakzaky. 

Muhammadu Buhari came to power in 2015 and it has been one onslaught followed by another against Shiites trying to draw awareness for the suffering of the Palestinians.

It is obvious there is a concerted effort to stifle pro-Palestine agitation in Africa’s most populous country; it is a pity this is happening under the command of somebody who never hesitated to show his allegiance to Muslims.

Theory has it that stifling the growing voice of pro-Palestine activists is the major reason the west threw their weight behind Buhari in the 2015 elections. 

It would be easier to use a northern Muslim to kill pro-Palestine activists than a southern Christian.

On 23rd May, Buhari received the Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria in a very warm interaction in which he said to the newly appointed Israeli ambassador, ‘‘I congratulate you on your appointment as Ambassador of Israel to Nigeria. Enjoy your stay in Nigeria and take time to go round to see the beauty and diversity of the country."  

In response, Shimon Ben-Shosan said, "Next year will be 60 years of diplomatic relations between Nigeria and Israel, and the last time a Prime Minister of Israel visited Nigeria was in 1958. ‘‘My dream is to bring my Prime Minister and President to visit Nigeria and for President Buhari to visit Israel. That will be historic for us."  

Buhari is yet to make any statement on Palestine.

The ruling party in Nigeria (APC) which is largely made up of ex-members of the ousted party (PDP) is playing the dirty politics of religious hate. 

In the affidavit presented by the government on 28th August, it was stated, “The IMN views itself as a government, and Sheikh Zakzaky as the only legitimate source of authority in Nigeria and it does not recognise the authority of the Nigerian government, and views its leaders both Muslims and Christians as corrupt and ungodly."

The aim of this was clearly to pacify non-Muslims who criticize the bloody crackdown on Shiites.

There is a concerted effort to make the world believe all Nigerian Muslims are in accord and agreement with the policies of the Buhari regime ergo, only Christians are dissatisfied. The existence of vocal Muslims like Ibrahim Zakzaky would have dealt a great blow to that propaganda, he had to be silenced.

In July, 22 countries signed a letter to the United Nations condemning China’s persecution of Uighur Muslims. A day later, 37 countries signed a counter letter defending the Chinese government; Nigeria is one of those countries.

For how long will Nigeria Muslims continue to live the lie that they are all in support of the backwardness Nigeria has witnessed since 2015? 

For how long will Nigerian Muslims continue to remain silent on the persecution of their brothers and sisters across the globe assisted by the government they voted for?

Allah knows best.