Shiites group threat to national security, IGP Adamu declares as he implements court proscription order naming IMN terrorist organisation

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Nigeria, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar Adamu, has cautioned that all forms of procession or protest by members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) have been declared illegal, adding that protesters from the group will be treated as terrorists.

It will be recalled the IMN activities have been responsible for many crisis whereby its members engaged security agents in physical fights including the blocking of roads during Goodluck Jonathan era whereby two sons of the Shiites leader were killed.

The Shiites repeated same road blocking against the Chief of Army Staff and launched attacks on military officers and personnel on his convoy in Zaria, which led to the face-off that saw heavy casualties on both sides in 2015 this time under Muhammadu Buhari era.

The radical group members, claiming to be protesting the continued detention of their leader Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, have since been responsible for more violent attacks, recently, on Nigeria’s National Assembly killing police guards on duty and destroying parked and moving cars belonging to innocent Nigerians.

Their violence peaked on Monday January 22, 2019 with another offensive launched on the Nigeria’s seat of power, Abuja, killing the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Operations in Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command, Alhaji Usman Umar, one Youth Corps reporter of Channels Television while injuring many others with some of its own protesting members too affected in the face-off that followed between the Shiites violence and police.

This list of sins eventually prompted the rule of  law-based Federal Government in the country to secure a court order to proscribe the group’s activities and brand it a terrorist organisation.

While speaking during a conference with senior police officers on Tuesday, July 30, IGP Adamu said the IMN constitutes a grave threat to the national security, law and order, socio-religious harmony, peace, good governance and the sovereign integrity of Nigeria.

He said the group has displayed disdain for due legal processes and heightened tension and insecurity in Nigeria in a manner that confirms their motivation as being to destabilise the country.

“Any person engaged or associating, in any manner that could advance the activities of the proscribed Islamic Movement in Nigeria, shall be treated as a terrorist, enemy of the State, and a subversive element and shall be brought to justice within the context of the Terrorism Act.

“The import of this is that all forms of procession or protest by IMN is now illegal and thus banned,” he said.

Adamu said all security agencies are fully committed to giving full effect to the judicial pronouncement in the interest of Nigeria’s internal security and national cohesion, and called on Nigerians to support them by providing information that will aid in the identification of the locations of IMN members and their mentors.

He further clarified that the proscription of the IMN’s activities is not a violation on the rights of Nigerians to practice their faith.

“The El-Zakzaky-led Shiite Islamic Movement in Nigeria which does not recognise nor accept the Constitution and Government of the Federation is the sole organisation that has been classified as a terrorist organisation and proscribed,” the IGP said.

He said faith must be exercised in a manner that will not threaten Nigeria’s national security.

While speaking, Adamu accused the IMN of a host of ‘nefarious activities’ that led to the group’s proscription.

He said the sect pledged allegiance to foreign countries from where they enjoy political, financial and training support with the aim of advancing their destabilising intents within Nigeria.

Another offence, he said, was the unauthorised blocking of public highways, engagement in illegal road blocks, imposition of illegal curfews and checkpoints, raids on security assets, prevention of arrest of their members, invasion of court premises to abort legal proceedings involving IMN members, refusal to submit to ordinary security checks and attacks on security agents which led to the death of several Nigerians.

The sect was also accused of setting up a para-military guard known as ‘hurras’ through which it allegedly terrorised local residents, as well as instituting unregistered security outfits and performing paramilitary ceremonies, hoisting of flags, combat exercises, parades and inspection by the IMN leader, El-Zakzaky, reminiscent of a state authority.

The Police chief also accused the Islamic sect of provocative preaching and hate speeches aimed at inciting members against non-members while working towards its agenda of creating an Islamic State in Nigeria and challenging the legitimacy of the Federal Government in favour of Islamic government, non-recognition of the Nigeria’s constitution, non-recognition of state authority, non-recognition of Nigeria’s democratic values and disrespect for its judicial processes.

“The IMN has over the years manifested its penchant for launching attacks on Nigerians and the symbols of State authority.

“Since 2018 till date, the IMN has engaged in coordinated and organized violent protests within the Federal Capital Territory,” Adamu said.

The IGP said the IMN’s activities are in violation of the Section 1(2)(A)&(B) of the Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act 2013 and Section 2(1)(A)(B)(C) of the Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act of 2013.