Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Kaduna Government Perfects Plan to Probe Soldiers, Shi’ites Clash
By Saxone Akhaine
Northern Bureau Chief
Nigerian Guardian
December 31, 2015 3:50 am

• Islamic group denies having military wing

From the Kaduna State government came yesterday an announcement that it would soon come out with the terms of reference and names of members of the judicial commission of inquiry to investigate the recent violent clash between Soldiers and members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Shi’ites in Zaria.

A statement signed by a Special Assistant to the Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Samuel Aruwan, said: “The government has announced that it is working on concluding the establishment of a judicial commission of inquiry into the recent clash in Zaria between the Nigerian Army and Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky’s movement.

Th government has largely completed work on the composition and the terms of reference of the proposed inquiry, however, the government is still engaged in extensive consultations that are required prior to a formal announcement.”

According to the statement, “efforts are also being made to contact all the nominees for membership of the commission, as well as the secretariat and resource persons that will support the work of this important inquiry.

These consultations and contacts have been impacted by the holidays.

Therefore, the state government will be delaying the announcement of the membership of the commission until early in the New Year. Best efforts have been applied to ensure that the announcement is made within the two-week window envisaged when the decision to establish the commission of inquiry was made. But it has now emerged that a little more time is required.

“The government expresses its appreciation for the positive response the public has given to the establishment of the commission of inquiry. The government will be providing further updates as this process unfolds.”

Meanwhile, the Islamic group has condemned a comment allegedly made by the Army hierarchy to the effect that members of Shi’ites have a military wing which is a threat to Nigeria nation.

While reacting to the comment, the Spokesman of the Shi’ites, Mallam Ibrahim Musa, stated: “The Nigerian government, in order to justify its brutal attacks on the Islamic Movement of Nigeria and its leadership, has yet again released a three-minute propaganda video clip to buttress the fraudulent claims that IMN has a military wing that is a threat to the Nigerian nation.

“They are frantically searching for ways to cover up their crimes or worst still, even justify it through these mischievous propaganda campaigns.”

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