The Kaduna State Commission of Inquiry
into the December 2015 clashes between the members of the Islamic
Movement of Nigeria and the Nigerian Army has recommended the
identification and prosecution of the soldiers who participated in the
killings of the members of the Islamic sect.
This is as the commission also indicted the Nigerian Army for its excessive use of force on the IMN also known as Shiites.
The Kaduna State Government on Sunday
night officially released the Justice Mohammed Lawal-Garba-led
Commission of Inquiry on the December 2015 bloody clash between the
Nigerian Army and the Shiites.
The report e-mailed to our correspondent
in Kaduna also indicted the leader of the Shiites, Sheikh Ibrahim
El-Zakzaky, for his refusal to caution his members during the crisis,
which it said, was ‘avoidable.’
The report read in part, “The commission
is of the view that the use of excessive force by the Nigerian Army,
which led to the heavy casualties recorded in the Cordon and Search
Operation is an act of commission for which the NA is directly
responsible.
“The commission therefore recommends
that steps should immediately be taken to identify the members of the
NA who participated in the killings of 12th- 14thDecember 2015 incident
with a view to prosecuting them.”
The report, however, put the Shiites members on the watch-list of the state.
It added, “Security agencies should
ensure watch-listing of IMN members and other persons of security
interests, whenever they are going out or coming into Nigeria with a
view to discovering the sources of their funding, foreign contacts and
other useful and relevant information.”
Besides, the report added that the panel
found out that the Federal Government, Kaduna State Government, the
IMN, the Nigerian Army and other security and law enforcement agencies
committed certain acts of commission or omission which resulted in the
avoidable clashes.
The commission was inaugurated on
January 29 2016, to unravel the circumstances that led to the clash
which claimed many lives and properties in Zaria, Kaduna State.
The commission on July, 15, 2016 submitted its report to Governor Nasir El-Rufai who promised to make the report public.
While receiving the report, the governor said it would be diligently studied to ensure that the lessons were properly digested.
The panel also directed that EI-Zakzaky
should be personally held responsible for all the acts of commission and
omission of the entire membership of the IMN in its clashes with the
Nigerian Army for refusing to caution his members when required to do
so.
The report added, “Considering the
nature and organisational structure of the IMN, where the leader has the
total control over the members, Sheikh lbraheem EI-Zakzaky should be
personally held responsible for all the acts of commission and omission
of the entire membership of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria in its
clashes with the Nigerian Army for refusing to call his members to order
when required to do so.
“Members of the IMN should never be
allowed to carry any unlicensed weapon under any guise. Whosoever found
so doing should be prosecuted immediately.
“Intelligence reports by security
agencies regarding all threats to security, law and order should be
taken seriously and acted upon to nip in the bud such occurrences.
“The Federal Government should have the political will to deal with such threats posed by the IMN and similar groups.”
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