The Judicial Commission of inquiry that investigated the bloody clash between soldiers and members of the Shiite Islamic group, Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), yesterday submitted its report to the state government yesterday, with Governor Nasir El-Rufai pledging to implement its recommendations and rid Kaduna State of religious crisis.

Several Shiites IMN members died and others injured during the clash with soldiers in Zaria in December last year, necessitating the setting up of the panel by the state government.

While submitting the report to the governor at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim Government House, Chairman of the panel, Justice Mohammed Lawal Garba, said it received 3,500 memoranda within and outside the state during its sittings.

According to him, the IMN failed to appear before the panel “for reasons best known to them, even as a counsel to the sect had participated at the commencement of its.”

Justice Garba explained that failure of the IMN members to appear before the panel had resulted in the prolong adjournments, resulting in the panel seeking an extension of time to complete its assignment.

In his remarks shortly after receiving the report, El-Rufai promised to diligently study the report and ensure that the lessons are properly digested and “the appropriate White Paper conveying government decisions on the recommendations also issued promptly and the necessary follow-up actions are taken.”

He, however, argued that in the interest of transparency, government intends to make the final report available to the public in the shortest possible time, even while the white paper process is ongoing.

The governor further disclosed that the report has been classified top secret and government would evaluate the security implication before making the report public.

El-Rufai thanked members of the panel on behalf of the government and people of the state and assured them that government would do the needful regarding the report.

He added: “As I stated at the inauguration of the Inquiry, the government hereby restates the necessity for all groups and persons to be unambiguous about their allegiance to the constitution of Nigeria, to respect the prerogatives of state institutions, to abide by the laws of the country and to exercise their right to freedom of thought and to practise their faith in ways that do not infringe on the rights and conveniences of other citizens.”