The Islamic Movement in Nigeria, IMN, has given the release of its leader, Ibrahim Zakzaky, as key condition for its appearance before a Judicial Commission of Inquiry set up by Kaduna State Government.
The judicial commission was set up to investigate the December, 2015 deadly attack on members of IMN in Zaria by the Nigerian Army.
The Northern State Governors Forum, NSGF, in a communiqué issued at its meeting on Friday, appealed to the Shia Islamic group to attend the hearing.
But the movement said in a statement signed by its head of media and publicity, Ibrahim Musa, on Saturday, that Mr. Zakzaky had to be released before it could appear before the judicial commission.
“We appreciate the Governors call, at least it is an acknowledgement on their part that something
unfortunate in the history of the North happened in Zaria that if not handled fairly and justly could have long-term consequences for the region and the country in general.
“However IMN made their points for staying away from the commission very clear and will like to remind the Governors and the general public. None of the reasons have been given consideration or addressed by any of the relevant authorities or even by the NSGF or all those clamouring for our appearance before the commission.
“Foremost among the reasons is the continued incarceration of the leader of the Islamic Movement, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky, who we all know was attacked in his own house towards midnight in what the Army termed ‘cordoned and search’ operation without any justification. The crux of the matter is that there is simply no rational basis for the soldier’s attack in his residence in the first place. In effect justice demands that Sheikh Zakzaky is supposed to be a free man so that he can give his own input to the Commission on his own volition,” read the statement.
“As things stand now,” the statement continued, “those who are accused of killing at least 1000 people including women and children are roaming about freely, despite admission that they buried at least 347 of those in a night burial in a mass grave in an attempt to hide their crime.”
On the other hand, IMN said Mr. Zakzaky and hundreds of his followers who are “victims of the brutal military attack” are behind bars, with some standing trial for alleged culpable homicide.
“This smacks of gross injustice and bias on the part of the government that sets up the Commission. IMN firmly believes that for justice to be seen to be done, Sheikh Zakzaky should be promptly set free unconditionally,” it maintained.
IMN also pointed at the “lopsided composition” of the commission, which, according to the Shia group, was set in a way to suggest that the final report was already determined against it.
“We have already pointed out to the government and the public that among the ’13 wise men and women’ of the Commission are three people who are well known in their hate campaigns against the IMN. This has not been addressed too,” it stated, adding another condition apart from Mr. Zakzaky’s freedom.
It continued, adding that the Northern Governors should be more concerned about citizens who were killed and how they were secretly buried.
“What we had expected the NSGF to have dwelt up is not our absence from the proceedings of the Commission but the disturbing facts emanating from the confessions of the Kaduna state government in the mass burial of 347 people and the denial of such a war crime by the soldiers involved. The Army admitted before the panel that it handed ‘few corpses’ for the mass burial. Our records show that close to 400 others remain unaccounted for.
“Thus the NSGF ought to be sufficiently disturbed that a “few” of their citizens were secretly buried in mass grave by one of their members and even more disturbing is the majority of the victims are yet to be accounted for. Did they task Governor Nasiru Elrufai to explain? IMN queried.
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