The Islamic Movement in Nigeria,
IMN, has accused Kaduna State governor, Nasiru Ahmed El-Rufai, of sponsoring
hate speech campaign against the group.
The movement in a statement
issued by the president, Media Forum, Ibrahim Musa, alleged that El Rufa’i
sponsored hate speech campaigns against it at a recent book presentation at
Arewa House, Kaduna, during which Shias were called infidels by the organisers
of the event.
According to Musa, “The Islamic
Movement in Nigeria wishes to express its outright disapproval of the current
campaign of calumny against the Shia Islamic faith in general and the Islamic
Movement in particular as espoused in the gathering of some Wahabi Islamic
scholars during the book presentation on Sunday 11/08/18 at Arewa House,
Kaduna, where Kaduna state Governor was the Chief Host.
“Though, the book presented was
entitled “Fallacy of Shi’ites beliefs,” the scholars were reported by some
national dailies to have said that “Shiites, threat to National Security.” We
feel this news headline deserves our condemnation. How about if we say:
“Sunnis, threat to National Security,” will followers of Sunni Islam in Nigeria
not get offended?” according to the Press Statement.
“We are extremely concerned that
this title is similar to some of the scary titles you read about Muslims on the
websites of Far Right movements who are busy spreading Islamophobia in the West
in particular and the world in general, only that in this context the
shiaphobia is the bogey for the so-called Wahabbi scholars.”
It drew the attention of the
government to the freedom granted citizens by the constitution, “We must
emphasize that while these debates and arguments between Sunnis and Shiites are
as old as the history of Islam, the secular Nigeria has nothing to do with it.
“These scholars know very well
that the constitution of Nigeria gives freedom of speech and religion as
enshrined in section 38, which categorically states: “Every person shall be
entitled to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, including freedom to
change his religion or belief, and freedom (either alone or in community with
others, and in public or in private) to manifest and propagate his religion or
belief in worship, teaching, practice and observance.”
The statement denied that the
Islamic Movement poses a national threat, “Why they hate the Shiites has
nothing to do with national security.
“Well-meaning Nigerians should
not be seen to support demonizing narratives sanctioned at a state level simply
because people choose different interpretations of some issues within the
religion of Islam. Therefore, as long as a group or organisation conducts
itself peacefully without legitimizing violence, the state should stay away
from meddling in inter-sectarian polemics.
“The almost 40 years history of
the Islamic Movement in Nigeria and its Leader Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky is
enough a pointer to the fact that we are not a threat to national security as
those so called scholars that gathered in Kaduna will want other Nigerians to
believe. In fact it is the other way round, because it is on record that in one
of his books, the author of the book launched, Prof. Umar Labdo of the Maitama
Sule University, Kano, called on Muslims of his like to kill, maim and burn the
properties of Christians and Shiites.
“We strongly believe that it’s
such ‘scholars’ who identify with the ISIS ideology that spread hate and
animosity among citizens that are a threat to National security.”
The Islamic Movement vowed to
continue demanding for the release of its leader, Sheikh Zakzaky, stressing
that, “On a final note, we would like to state categorically that, we will not
relent on our effort to enlighten the world about the atrocities committed by
the trio of Federal government, Kaduna state government and the Nigerian Army
(all under the influence of the Wahibi scholars like Prof. Labdo) against the
members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria during the month of December, 2015.
“Though, the Kaduna book
presentation is ostensibly held to justify the Zaria massacre executed by the
Army, we will like to assure those pseudo ulama that Zaria massacre will
continue to hunt the memories of its organizers, financiers and executors
forever.
“We once again wish to reiterate
our call on the Federal government to release our Leader Sheikh Ibraheem
Zakzaky, his wife Malama Zeenah and hundreds others still languishing in
various detention facilities across the country, most especially Southern part
of Nigeria since December, 2015.”
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