By Ayo Kehinde
Chief Mike Ozekhome, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria has faulted the Federal Government proscription order on the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, the umbrella organization of the Shiites religious group in Nigeria.
Ozekhome, a constitutional lawyer in a statement made available to journalists on Saturday in Abuja, said that the ban is “highly discriminatory, unconstitutional, as was the case of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB.”
Ozekhome who was reacting to an Abuja Federal High Court ruling on Friday, which granted the prayers of the government by describing the group as a terrorist organization, said the government flouted the constitutional guarantee of religious freedom Federal High Court in Abuja, made the declaration on Friday. No Shiite or lawyer representing them was present in court in the case filed on behalf of the Attorney General of the Federation by the
He said “ The Shiites group is a religious group, like the President’s Sunni group. It is not an association that could be banned. Section 10 of the Nigerian Constitution makes Nigeria a secular state.
“You can’t ban religion, a people’s belief. There is also freedom of thought, conscience and religion in section 38, while sections 40 and 41 allow for freedom of movement and Association. The Constitution is ruthlessly being shredded by an intolerant and overbearing civilian dictatorship.’”
He said if the government was serious about banning a group on the grounds of terrorism, then the killer herdsmen and their association, Miyetti Allah should long have been banned following the killings, maiming, raping, kidnapping and destruction of goods and services across the country, by the group.
“What group could be more terrorist than the herdsmen and their known anchor, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association that has held Nigeria down by the jugular for years, killing, maiming, burning, raping, turning Nigeria into a crimson field of bloodbath?”, he asked.
And answered, “until the government bans and He said the Shiites are “ are demanding for the release of their leader still kept in government dungeon in spite of several court orders
Chief Ozekhome observed that it was unfortunate that the nation’s constitution “is ruthlessly being shredded by an intolerant and overbearing civilian dictatorship.”
The Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), otherwise known as “Shiites” has drawn the anger of the government after series of deadly protest by its members led to the death of Usman Umar, a Deputy Commissioner of police and Precious Owolabi, a Channels Television reporter.
The group had engaged the Nigerian police and other security agencies in several clashes over the continuous detention of its leader in Nigeria, Ibrahim El-Zakzakky and wife.
