The National
Human Rights Commission, NHRC, On Wednesday, 21/9/2016 released the report of a
special panel it constituted to investigate the December 12, 2015, bloody clash
between Shi’ites, under the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, IMN, and the Nigerian
Army in Zaria, Kaduna State.
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| El-zakzaky |
The clash which
resulted in the death of many members of the sect, with others seriously
wounded, occurred after the Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Major-General Yusuf
Buratai, who was on his way from Dutse to pay homage on the Emir of Zazzau
before proceeding to Depot NA Passing Out Parade of 73 Regular Recruit Intake,
was denied passage by members of the Shi’ite sect.
According to
the report, the leadership and members of the IMN “were responsible for the
abuse of right to freedom of movement of the convoy of the COAS and other
members of the public by blocking the public highway on December 12, 2015.”
The NHRC, in
the voluminous report which head of the investigation panel, Mr. Tony Ojukwu,
submitted to its Executive Secretary, Prof. Bem Angwe, however called for
speedy trial of the detained leader of the Shiite Islamic sect, Sheikh Ibraheem
El-Zakzaky.
The Human
Rights Watch, HRW, had alleged that no fewer than 300 members of the Shi’ia
sect were killed and
secretly buried by the members of the Nigerian army,
adding that, “The killing of hundreds of Shia Muslim members of the Islamic
Movement of Nigeria, IMN, by Nigerian soldiers from December 12 to 14, 2015,
appears to have been wholly unjustified.”
But Buratai had
while speaking during the opening ceremony of the sitting of an investigative
panel set up by the NHRC on Tuesday, explained how
his convoy was held hostage by members of the sect,
stressing that his convoy was blocked in Zaria, adding that those accusing the
Army of violating the rights of members of the group were insincere.
The commission
stated that its findings revealed that members of the sect had on the ill-fated
day, turned out en mass and blocked the public highway with arms, “becoming
riotous and constituting an obstruction on the road and placing stones and
bonfire to prevent passage of the convoy of the COAS.”
Noting that
there is no evidence before the panel indicating that the action of the sect
was pre-planned or premeditated, the report said: “The panel found that the
people killed during the incident were given mass burial without first
establishing their identities or autopsy or medical report, indicating the
cause of death.”
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Source: Daily post
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