Islamic Movement Bans in Kaduna State Nigeria Group

The Kaduna State Government has issued an Order declaring the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) as an unlawful association.
A statement issued on Friday by the spokesman for the state governor, Samuel Aruwan, says the government secured an order from the State Executive Council to ban the Islamic Movement from either existing or operating in the state with immediate effect.
In proscribing the group, the government invoked Section 45 (1) of the Nigerian Constitution which empowers the state Governor to take such measures and actions for the promotion and protection of public safety, public order, public morality or public health, or the rights and freedom of all persons in the State.
The statement further explained that the action was to ensure that all persons and organisations were guided by lawful conduct and with due allegiance to the Nigerian state and its Constitution.
With the ban, the statement warns that any citizen of the state, who under any appellation or mutation with the propensity of causing the breakdown of law and order, or operates in a manner dangerous to the good governance of the State, shall be prosecuted in accordance with the Laws of Kaduna State.
The statement reaffirms the commitment of the state government to upholding the right of citizens to practice the religion of their choice as enshrined in Sections 38 and 40 of the Constitution.
Danger To Peace
The statement noted that the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Zaria Clashes of 12 December, 2015 indicted the movement as an illegal organisation, operating an illegal paramilitary outfit and having total disregard to the laws of the country and constituted authorities that have the responsibility to secure and administer the country.
The Declaration Order noted that since the clash between members of the movement and soldiers in Zaria in which at 347 persons were alleged to have been killed, the IMN “has overtly continued with unlawful processions, obstruction of public highways, unauthorised occupation of public facilities including schools without regard to the rights of other citizens and the public peace and order of the State”.
The Order noted that “these acts, if allowed to go unchecked would constitute danger to the peace, tranquillity, harmonious coexistence and good governance of Kaduna State”.
After the December 12 clash between the group members also referred to as Shiites and the Army, the leader of the group, Mr Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, was taken into custody.
Since his arrest, he filed a case against the Department of State Service (DSS) that had held him since December 2015.
On Wednesday, a Federal High Court in Abuja hearing Mr El-Zakzaky’s Fundamental Human Rights suit advised parties in a suit to explore the option of resolving the issue through alternative dispute resolution.

Ibraheem Zakzaky was arrested in December 2015 after his group clashed with officials of the Army

Mr El-Zakzaky is challenging his arrest and continued detention by the DSS.
At the resumed hearing of the suit, lawyer to El-Zakzaky, Mr Femi Falana, told the court that his client was being held against his wish without trial since December 14, 2015.
He further claimed that El-Zakzaky was not at the scene of the clash between members of the Islamic Movement and the Nigerian Army on the December 12, 2015.
Lawyer to the DSS, Mr Tijani Ghazali, however, told the court that Mr El-Zakzaky was being held under protective custody due to intelligence report which revealed that his life was under threat.
Since his arrest, members of the Islamic group have continued to call for the release of their leader, holding several protests since he was taken into custody.
The Shiites had held protests in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, Kaduna and kano among other states.
On september 10 in Kaduna, members of the group, comprising of women, youths and children, gathered at the popular Leventis roundabout in the state capital, demanding for the unconditional release of their leader and other members.
Chanting songs and blocking major roads, the Shiites feared that the health condition of Zakzaky is deteriorating due to gunshot wounds he sustained.
They vow never to rest until their leader and others are freed.