The Truth About Zakzaki And His Islamic Movement Of Nigeria - Abdullahi Yusuf

By Abdullahi Yusuf 

Abuja

The recent happings in Zaria regarding the Islamic Movement of Nigeria Army clash may have come to some people as a surprise, with some citizens describing the group as an unarmed and peaceful group. But it is never a surprise to especially those living in the northern part of the country especially those who live in Zaria, Kaduna, katsina, Kano Sokoto and other Northern States. There is no one who lives in the north that will ascribe peace to this group of peaple who operate with impunity, without regards to other people’s right. Before I go into the details of so many incidences involving these people in different parts of the north, let me state here that the account am about to give, is the truth about these people.

Let me also state here that telling lies is permitted under the doctrine of the Shiites sect, therefore their account of what happened may not be the truth of what actually happened between them and the Nigeria Army. Though, am not defendingnor holding brief for the Nigeria Army, but given the antecedent of this group, am very sure that there own side of the story may just be a fabrication since according to their doctrine, it is permissible to tell lies.

Looking back at history of hostility between the government and sect, one will agree that, they are not peace lovers. The people that live around their shrine in Hussainiya and the gyalesu where El Zakzaki lives had been living in a prison of a sort. The sect members extort money from those doing business in the area, and even impose tax on the people. There are even cases where they forcefully took over land belonging to other people to expand their Shrine as well as the residence of their leader.

This group has a long history of violence against the State; they had attacked and prevented some prominent leaders in the past from moving freely in Zaria and other places, including the Emir of Zazzau His Royal Highness Dr. Idris. They had severally prevented the first class Emir who is the Chairman Council of Traditional Rulers in kaduna State from moving freely in Zaria, yet those who are making noise now had never condemned such act. In Katsina, there was a time they block the Emir of Katsina who was on his way to pay condolence visit in Kankiya, and a bloody clash between the palace guards and the group was averted through the intervention of the Emir himself.

During the regime of Gen Ibrahim Babangida, they once tried to wailay him in Kaduna. They made a vow to spite saliva on him when he was in the state for state visit, all thanks to the Presidential guards, and the then GOC 1 Div Major GeneralAhmed Daku, who had arrested some of these miscreants,but for peace to reign, they were later released. Not too long ago in 2013,Zazzaki in his self constituted and illegal court gave a verdict and sentence one Malam Dan Maishiyya who hails from sokoto to death ,for daring to challenge the doctrine of the Shiites. Some days later, Malam Dan Maishiyya was attack by some gun men who trail him to his house. Luckily  he survived the attack,but  four month later he was kill in cold blood by some gun men.The question is who killed Malam Dan Maishiyya? And who gave Zazzki the Authority to sentence people to death? Mal Auwal, popularly known as Mal Albani Zaria, who had been preaching against the Isamic movement was also sentence to death several times by Zazzaki. Mal Albani had been attacked several times before he was killed by unknown gun men three years ago.

Zazzaki had constituted himself and gave himself and his group some powers that nobody dare challenge them and go free. He had forcefully taken over lands that does not belong to him while expanding his Hussainiya shrine which itself is illegally built without approval from the appropriate authorities. Similarly in gyalesu where he lives, besides extorting money from the people in the name of tax, he has imprisoned the people there. So many people had to relocate to other areas leaving their ancestral home to avoid constant humiliation from the group in the gyalesu neighbouhood.

A friend of mine Mal Babangida narrated to me how his senior brother’s wife died as a result of road blockade just because Zazzaki was expected by his group. The woman was in critical condition and they wanted to rush her to hospital, only to be blocked by these people. They pleaded and begged these people to open the road for them to take this innocent woman to the hospital, but these heartless fellows refused to allow them. They were held for almost two hours, in such a way that they can neither go back nor move ahed, in such a trrible situation the woman died. Babangida told me that this is just one out of many terrible stories of how Zazzaki caused so much harm to the good people of Zaria.

It is therefore, very wrong the way some people are portraying these heartless fellows who are so selfish that they don’t care about how other people feels as the victims. The way the Army Chief was attacked, even in America their military would have done the same or even more. Why will a lawless group ask the highest military officer in the country, who also commands the highest number of troops in Africa to turn back and follow another rout? What if they had planned to bomb him along the rout they were asking him to follow? If they can do such to the COAS, believe you me, they can prevent even our President and Commander in Chief ofArmed forces from free movement. The soldiers did the right thing, even though, I respect the sanctity of human lives, and every human being has the right to live, but if one chooses to take his own live, there is nothing one can do about it. Attacking and trying to prevent the COAS from performing his official duty in Zaria is as good as committing suicide.

This group had operated with impunity, without regard to other people’s right, as such does deserve any sympathy from any patriotic citizens. The Nigeria Army has restored their lost respect from the public, and they have also send a signal to all those who want to course trouble to know that, the military will always apply their rules of engagement, should any person or group of persons try to disrupt public peace. If this group can attempt to prevent the Chief of Army Staff from free movement, one can imagine what the ordinary citizens living in that area had been going through.

ABDULLAHI YUSUF writes from Garki 2 Abuja

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