The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has thrown its weight behind the proscription of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) by a Federal High Court in Abuja on the request of the Federal Government.
In a statement released by its director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, MURIC says the government’s decision to proscribe Shi'ites was imperative and decisive owing to the groups violent disposition and disrespect to constituted authority since the arrest and detention of their leader, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky.
“MURIC recognises the right of Shiites to practice their faith but strictly within recognised rules of engagement. Shiites must respect Allah-given fundamental rights of their neighbours. They must genuinely renounce violence and pledge to stop the harassment of other citizens, review their revolutionary tenets particularly that which refuses to recognise federal and state governments. It is treasonable to vehemently persist that they will only recognise an Islamic government based on Shiite ideology alone.
MURIC considers the proscription of IMN as a decisive and necessary action. Nigerians who sincerely want to see peace and stability must therefore give FG a free hand on this. Boko Haram would not have festered so badly had former President Goodluck Jonathan taken action when he should.” the statement read in part
Read full text of the press statement below
The Federal Government of Nigeria (FG) last week announced the
proscription of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) otherwise known as
Shiites.
Reacting to this development, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has
called on Nigerians to allow FG to handle the situation. This was
contained in a statement made available to the media by the Director of
the human rights organization, Professor Ishaq Akintola, on Monday, 29th
July, 2019.
According to MURIC, “It will be recalled that we suggested that FG
should initiate dialogue with the leadership of the Nigerian Muslim
community and leaders of IMN in order to find an amicable settlement for
the Shiite imbroglio.
“But more revelations have since come to our attention in the last
48 hours. For example, at least two Muslim neighbours of the Shiites
came out openly and in writing to reveal stunning incidents of the use
of violence by the group. Their experiences date back to the 90s.
“A major Islamic organisation which is based in the North, the
Jamaatu Ikhmad al-Bid’ah wa Ihyais-Sunnah (JIBWIS) also issued a strong
statement calling on FG not to handle the Shiites with soft gloves. Most
importantly, the testimonies have revealed a dangerous Shiite principle
of non-recognition of either a federal or state government.
“Based on these new developments, we have no other choice than to
call on Nigerians to allow FG to handle the situation, particularly in
the face of large scale insecurity in the country. FG has been accused
of inability to rein in the general state of insecurity in the country.
Some have accused FG of failure to take decisive actions to stem the
tide.
“MURIC considers the proscription of IMN as a decisive and
necessary action. Nigerians who sincerely want to see peace and
stability must therefore give FG a free hand on this. Boko Haram would
not have festered so badly had former President Goodluck Jonathan taken
action when he should.
“It is also our considered opinion that members of the civil
society and individuals defending the Shiites are not looking at the
larger picture. FG has more comprehensive information. Civil society
must ponder over Shiite ideology which rejects the Constitution of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria and all constituted authority within the
country including traditional rulers.
“We contend that Christian groups are most hypocritical. They
support the Shiites because they tend to see it as an opportunity to
decimate Islamdom, particularly in Nigeria. What really matters to them
is how to weaken Islam in the country. It sounds too much like ‘the
enemy of my enemy is my friend’.
“It is well known that the present conflict is between the Shiites,
FG and the Kaduna State government. Mainstream Islam is not involved.
Knowing the excesses of their Shiite neighbours, other Islamic
organisations decided to remain aloof ab initio. Christian leaders who
want to exploit the silence of Islamic organisations as an opportunity
to create more division between the Sunnis and the Shiites now started
pretending to sympathise with the Shiites. The latter is quick to grab
the straw.
“Otherwise why should they be the ones defending a Muslim group
which even mainstream Muslims regard as dangerous? Why this sudden act
of ‘benevolence’? Come to think of it: who opposed Nigeria’s membership
of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC)? Who kicked against the
introduction of Shariah? Who fought the advent of Islamic banking tooth
and nail? Who is behind the infringement on the rights of Muslims
particularly the hijab issue in the South West?
“Is it not paradoxical that those who have been accusing President
Muhammadu Buhari of attempting to Islamise Nigeria are the same people
supporting an Islamic sect which refuses to recognise any government but
Shiite authority? We put it to Christian groups in the country that
they are shedding crocodile tears on the Shiite imbroglio. But the wind
has blown and we have seen the ruff of the hen. It is time to back off.
As for members of the civil society, many of them have no sympathy
for Muslims and they have never manifested genuine concern for the
latter. The same civil society which pretends to be protecting the
girl-child by crying foul over early marriage maintains conspiratorial
silence over the hijab saga. None of them sees anything wrong with
locking hundreds of Muslim girls out of school on account of an ordinary
headscarf. It is such a big shame. But we are not deceived.
“MURIC recognises the right of Shiites to practice their faith but
strictly within recognised rules of engagement. Shiites must respect
Allah-given fundamental rights of their neighbours. They must genuinely
renounce violence and pledge to stop the harassment of other citizens.
Not only that, they must review their revolutionary tenets particularly
that which refuses to recognise federal and state governments. It is
treasonable to vehemently persist that they will only recognise an
Islamic government based on Shiite ideology alone.
“In this respect, we are constrained to warn the Iranian government
to desist from interfering in the internal affairs of Nigeria. Iran is
known to have executed Sunni Muslim leaders in its domain even without
the latter engaging in any criminal activity. Therefore Iran has no
moral right to dictate to the Nigerian government on how to handle
Shiite excesses. This is a sovereign nation and any attempt to export
the Ayatollah-style bloody revolution to Nigeria will be stiffly
resisted by mainstream Muslims in the country.
“For the avoidance of doubt, MURIC is not interested in promoting a
Sunni-Shiite dichotomy. We are for all Islamic groups. We are simply
here to project, promote and protect the rights of all adherents of
Islam. Nonetheless, we reject those who smear the image of Islam in any
way and those who kill and maim followers of other religions and their
fellow Muslims. We recognise the authority of the Federal Government of
Nigeria as well as those of state governments and we will not associate
with those who seek to render asunder the sovereignty of our great
country, Nigeria.
“In our closing remarks, we charge Nigerians to allow FG to handle
the situation. IMN was proscribed for its violent propensity. It can be
deproscribed when there is enough evidence that the group is no more
violent. We appeal to Christian leaders to stop shedding crocodile tears
over Shiite-FG imbroglio. We urge civil society and individual
activists to desist from selective activism. Those who are silent on the
hijab question vis a vis the oppression of the Muslim girl-child should
not be quick to comment on the Shiite affair. It is sheer hypocrisy.
Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC
No comments:
Post a Comment