…Warns President Muhammadu Buhari against 2019
FROM: PAUL ORUDE, BAUCHI
Leader of Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) in Bauchi State,
Sheik Ahmed Yusuf Yashi, has condemned the alleged killing of two of
its members during their yearly procession Arbaeen Trek, in Kano, on
Sunday, warning that families of victims would never support the
government in 2019.
Addressing the media, on Wednesday, at the NUJ Secretariat, in Bauchi,
Yashi alleged that security forces under the All Progressive Congress
(APC)-led Federal Government of President Muhammadu Buhari have
killed over 1000 members since coming into power.
The cleric recalled that during the confrontation with the military in
Zaria, last year, “After killing almost 1000 members, set our leader’s
house ablaze, shot him at close range (11 bullets), killed three of
his sons, after killing three previously in 2014, shot his wife at the
abdomen, till now no statement from the leader that followers should
take a needle to attack.”
He said that during this year’s zonal procession of faithful from
Gombe, Bauchi, Nassarawa, Taraba, Adamawa, Jalingo at Pambeguwa, near
Zaria, security forces again disrupted the group’s march as they
prepared to trek to Zaria for their annual religious rites.
He also alleged that after killing their members in Kano, the heavily-armed
security operatives were not yet done as they teargased followers of the
Movement as they prepared to trek to Zaria, on Sunday, for annual
religious rites.
Yashi said that no reason was given by the security operatives for
killing their members and disrupting their procession this year,
saying the allegation that their members were armed and dangerous was
not true.
He said the Movement would continue to remain peaceful and resist
taking the law into their hands despite the unwarranted provocation
from the government security forces.
The Islamic Movement cleric said that security forces of the country
have clearly violated movement’s fundamental right to practice their
religion.
He said: “The constitution gives us right to practice our chosen
religion. There is freedom of religion. As far as the law is there,
nothing will prevent us from pursuing our rights. We will never be
confrontational, but we will do what we can do.
“When they attacked us at Pambeguwa, we advised our people to go back.
We are living in a democratic dispensation where by everybody has
rights, so let them not prevent people from exercising rights that the
constitution has given.
“If they continue to engage in that, things will not go well. They are
coming for 2019. They should not forget that the people that they
killed, their relatives will remind them when they come out to
campaign.
“We have taken legal action and we have some cases in the court and we
have legal practitioners pursuing our rights for us. This rite started
almost 60 years ago. Millions are gathered in Iraq right now. It is
not a political activity where we have to seek permission from
government, why are they stopping us now if we have been doing it for
several years?
“We usually send jingle to media outfits announcing to the public the
period of the event and therefore it is a known event, it is not
violent. It is nothing that we have to seek the permission of
government.
“We are peaceful, we use to give gifts to people on the road, nobody
can proved us guilty as far as peaceful is concern. Our people are
armless and will continue to be harmless. We will continue to pursue
our legal right as citizens in the country.”