Army Vs Shiites ‘We don’t need soldiers' apology,’ Group says
The General Officer Commanding, (GOC) 1 Mechanized Division of the
Nigerian Army, Major General Adeniyi Oyebade, had said on Wednesday,
January 6, 2016, that the army would not apologize over the incident.
The Shiite Islamic sect has said that it is not expecting an apology from the Nigerian Army following a recent battle between the two groups in Zaria, Kaduna State.
The General Officer Commanding, (GOC) 1 Mechanized Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General Adeniyi Oyebade, had said on Wednesday, January 6, 2016, that the army would not apologize over the incident.
In response, Shiite spokesperson, Ibrahim Musa, on Thursday, described the army as arrogant and uncivil, The Cable reports.
“We
have a list of about 700 of our members that are currently missing some
of which are in detention with the Army at Basawa Barracks, Nigerian
Army Depot in Zaria, Jaji Cantonment and 1 Mechanized Division in
Kaduna,” Musa said.
“We categorically
refute in strong terms the claims of the GOC that none of our members is
currently with the military. The army is desperate to cover up its
indefensible crime against humanity, of indiscriminate killing of
defenceless and unarmed civilians in Zaria.
“We
challenge the GOC to come up with a single occasion when the Islamic
Movement in Nigeria under the leadership of his Eminence Sheikh Ibraheem
Zakzaky ever threatened the peace and stability of Nigeria or engaged
in any form of violence throughout its 38 years of existence.
“The
Islamic Movement in Nigeria has never been armed and is not armed and
does not operate or support any form of armed struggle. It is rather a
Movement that believes in extending its message of fairness and justice
to all irrespective of sect or religion in a peaceful manner….
“As
a matter of policy the IMN has never and will never engage in any form
of violent activities no matter the level of provocation. This is
evident in the incident of the killing of 34 members of the Islamic
Movement including three biological sons of the leader, Sheikh Ibraheem
Zakzaky by the Nigerian Army last year.
“IMN
believes that even the Nigerian Army was aware that the Movement and
its members were unarmed and defenceless when they launched their brutal
attack of indiscriminate killings of men, women and children, judging
by the nature of the attack, which was actually pre-planned.
“It
is therefore laughable for the GOC to claim that the Army had no issues
with the Islamic Movement when the Army had killed six biological sons
of Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky, his elder sister and over one thousand of
his followers in just 18 months.
“The GOC
was actually right in his statement that they ‘know the business of
violence’ which was of course what they displayed in Zaria in
contravention with the rule of law and order to which he is now trying
to convince the world that they are ‘guardians of democracy’ in yet
another contradictory statement.
“Still
on the Army’s ‘guardians of democracy’ the GOC stated in a sense of
arrogance and lack of civility, that they have ‘no apology’ for the
killing of over one thousand unarmed civilians including women and
children, we say, in as much as no member of the Movement is expecting
any apology from the Army for its crime in Zaria, he should tell that to
God his creator and the creator of those they killed in Zaria,” he added.
Oyebade had also earlier said that the army had followed the necessary rules of engagement in Zaria.
Meanwhile, the Shiites have urged the Federal Government to reveal the location of their leader, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky if it truly wants a peaceful resolution to the crisis between the group and the army.
Iran has also said via its Foreign Ministry that it had taken necessary steps to warn Nigeria on the continued detention of El-Zakzaky.
Soldiers engaged the Shiites in a battle after the group allegedly attempted to assassinate Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai on Saturday, December 12, 2015.
The conflict escalated after soldiers surrounded El-Zakzaky's home and arrested him. The Shiites have claimed that about 1000 members of the group died during the confrontation.
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