Why peace and unity continue to elude Nigeria -IMN

The Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), on Monday, said that peace and unity has continued to elude Nigeria because of the failure of the leaders to respect the rule of law.

IMN, in a statement made available by Mallam Miftau Zakariyah, a secretary of the group, said for peace and unity to reign in the country, there must be justice for all.

“Nigerians are unanimous that all is not well with this nation. While we have different solutions to this singular problem, the truth is that we all want a lasting solution.

“General Muhammmadu Buhari or PMB came to power on the massive wave of change mantra which everyone expected. What has gone wrong?.

“Today, we are organising an interfaith symposium to allow religious leaders across  Muslim and Christians lines to discuss how to have an enduring peace.

“Our humble opinion as students and followers of Sheikh Ibrahim Yaqoub el Zakzaky is that for peace and unity to exist, there must be justice and for justice to exist everyone must respect the rule of law,” it said.

The group said Sheikh Zakzaky is all about peace and that this is what he has spent years teaching and spent his life practicing.

“This is a man whose six sons have been murdered by the two successful Nigerian administrations.  1000+ of his followers were killed and then buried in mass graves.

“In 2016, a competent court in Abuja gave a judgement that the Nigerian government must release him and his wife, Mallama Zeenah, within 45 days and compensation of 25 million each be paid to both of them, and a house be built for Sheikh Zakzaky anywhere he wants in Nigeria.

“It’s been 5 years since that court order was made. For five long years, the Buhari administration has refused to obey the court and the rule of law. The very rule of law that gave him the power and position he holds as the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” it noted.

The IMN added that recently, a court in Kaduna acquitted 234 Shi”tes of an allegation of killing a soldier.

“And the court in Kaduna is trying Sheikh Zakzaky as an accomplice to murder of an alleged soldier.

“The irony is that this same court has acquitted all the 234 Shi”tes accused of killing the soldier.

“Yet Sheikh Zakzaky is still being put through a farce of a trial.

“This is why the counsel to Sheikh Zakzaky, Mr Femi Falana, had served a no-case submission to have the ludicrous case against Sheikh Zakzaky dismissed,” the group said.

It reminded that Sheikh Zakzaky and his wife are suffering from various dangerous medical complications which need urgent medical attention.

The IMN insisted that the only thing capable of saving the country today is the observance of the rule of law.

“If citizens can go to court and seek redress, if police will go after criminals and prosecute them, then citizens would not revert to self help and jungle justice,” it said.

According to the Islamic group, today the government has failed to project Shi”tes as terrorists, they have failed to prove that we have ever attacked anyone.

“On the contrary, it is this government that is giving amnesty to known terrorists.

“It is this government that is empowering terrorists with millions of dollars of Nigerian assets!

“Anyone that is seen using power to enrich terrorists shall face prosecution in the future,” it said.

It therefore called on the government and well meaning Nigerians to ensure that their leader and his wife are released according to the rule of law.