Shiites seeks involvement of global community in judicial panel

MEMBERS of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) otherwise known as Shiites have said that they are not scared of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry inaugurated by Kaduna State government to look into the bloody clash between soldiers and members of the Islamic group last month.

The President of the Media Forum of the Movement, Mallam Musa Ibrahim at a press conference in Kaduna at the weekend said before the inauguration of the Judicial Commission last Friday, by the Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, the movement had written a petition against the Commission and its composition, which unfortunately was not addressed by the state government, adding that the Commission looks more like a “Commission of indictment” rather than a “Commission of inquiry because of some indisputable facts.”

The Shiites Spokesman, however, demanded that “an independent judicial commission of inquiry with the supervisions and observation of international community be set up instead, to inquire into the Zaria incident of December 12-14th 2015”.

“Some identified members of the Commission have vested interests against the movement in particular and the Shi’a in general. Thus, by law, they are automatically disqualified from participating or serving in the Commission.”

Musa also stated that “Kaduna State Government has demonstrated bias and made pre-matured conclusions against the Movement even before setting up the Commission”, while adding, “the Nigerian Army, ably represented in the Commission too, has vested interests with the level of serious and grievous allegations of massacre, illegal detention, rape, arson and willful destruction of properties against it”.

Said he: “The Movement is not represented in the membership of the Commission. The composition of the Commission has no local or international human and humanitarian rights groups.”

“In view of the above, the fairness, independence and impartiality of the Commission as required by Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the provisions of the AfricanCharter on Human and Peoples’ Rights Cap A9, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are in doubt.”