(AhlulBayt News Agency) - The Kaduna State Government has officially labelled the popular Islamic Movement of Nigeria, IMN, an insurgent group.
This is contained in a White Paper released by the state government on Monday in Kaduna.
“For all intent and purpose, the IMN is an insurgent group and ought to be treated as such,” the government said in the white paper.
The government also said the detained Shiite leader, Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, will be held responsible for all acts carried out by the group’s members.
Briefing newsmen on the white paper, media aide to the Kaduna State governor, Samuel Aruwan, claimed “All IMN members and its leadership are jointly and severally liable for all violations of the law in the last 30 years, and are therefore responsible for the clashes and its consequences.”
“Members of the IMN owe absolute loyalty to Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky,” the white paper states. “He therefore bears responsibility for all the acts of lawlessness committed by the organisation and should therefore be held responsible, fully investigated and prosecuted.”
The state government claims the commission did not consider the years during which the activities of the IMN in Gyallesu had threatened peace and security.
The white paper also rejected suggestion that the burial of the victims did not conform to the law.
“Government observes that its officials complied with the Burial Law of the State. Section 7 sub-section 1 of the Burial Law Cap 20 Laws of Kaduna State Government 1991 requires the burial of persons who die in this type of circumstances within 24hrs. The Interpretation section of Rule 115 Geneva Convention also states that in circumstances of this nature, dead bodies could be buried in a mass grave.”
Aruwan noted that the white paper also rejected the Judicial Commission of Inquiry’s view on actions taken to clear structures at the scenes of the clashes, saying the debris at the Hussainiyya Baqiyatullah and at the residence of Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky were removed on the grounds of Public Health and safety.
“All the IMN buildings that were demolished were constructed without statutory title and building permit as required by the Land Use Act and Section 26 of the KASUPDA Law No.12 of 2015,” he claimed.
In the white paper, the state government also indicated it may not prosecute the soldiers involved in the killing of over 300 members of the IMN in December last year, but may leave their prosecution to the federal government.
Details later…
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