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Shiites accuse govt of human rights violation

By Saxone Akhaine (Kaduna) and Lemmy Ughegbe (Abuja)
22 December 2015   |   7:17 am
MEMBERS of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), otherwise known as Shiites, have accused the Federal Government of human rights violation, saying many of the victims of the clash between soldiers and the Islamic sect who sustained gunshot wounds have been denied medical care in hospitals.
Shiites

Shiites

• Say detained members denied medical care
• NHRC sets up panel to probe clash
MEMBERS of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), otherwise known as Shiites, have accused the Federal Government of human rights violation, saying many of the victims of the clash between soldiers and the Islamic sect who sustained gunshot wounds have been denied medical care in hospitals.

Meanwhile, in response to clamour for an investigation into the circumstances and root cause of the clash between the Nigerian Army and members of the Islamic sect, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) yesterday inaugurated a five-man panel.

In a statement issued yesterday by its spokesman, Malam Ibrahim Musa, the group said: “Our members with gunshots are still in prison without medical care and 13 members of the IMN were killed by police in Kaduna’s last week procession.

Reports reaching us have indicated that there are well over 40 members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) who are languishing in two prisons in Kaduna after surviving gunshot by the soldiers. Two died yesterday (Sunday) due to gunshot wounds while we were still negotiating with the police authorities in Kaduna for their release.

Some of the wounded members are detained in Open Prison at Barnawa Quarters while the rest are in Kaduna Central Prison. Yesterday (Sunday), five bodies of our members were handed over to us for burial by the police in Kaduna and they had been given proper Islamic burial.
“We hereby call on the authorities in particular to release or at least give us access to our wounded members so that we can give them proper medical attention. This, we believe, will save their lives.”

While inaugurating the probe panel, the Executive Secretary of the commission, Prof. Bem Angwe, said a complaint submitted to the commission on December 14, 2015 by the Nigerian Army triggered the inauguration of the panel.

He said: “Pursuant to the receipt of this complaint from the military, the commission, in line with its mandate to receive complaints on human rights violations, to monitor and to investigate such allegations, with a view to making appropriate determination in the circumstances, has decided to constitute an investigation panel with a view to carrying out a holistic investigation into the alleged violation of human rights.”

He charged the panel to make recommendations to the commission on how to prevent such a clash from occurring ever again.
The panel has two months within which to submit its report.

Musa further said: “We also refute the storyline of the police that they shot at the peaceful protest because we wanted to burn a police station in Tudunwada Kaduna. This is malicious because it is not in our nature to attack security agents, government property or fellow citizens during our protest we call MUZAHARA.

The Police should please find another storyline but certainly not this one. Meanwhile, the Kaduna State government has taken over the destruction of all the property of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria located across Zaria. They have destroyed the remaining part of the Hussainiyya and the Fudiyya Islamic Centre at Dan Magaji yesterday (Sunday) and today (Monday); they have commenced the destruction of Darur Rahma at Dembo Village along Jos road.

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