El-Rufai: We banned the IMN, not the Shi’a sect

The Kaduna state government says it banned the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) led by Ibrahim Zakzaky, and not the Shi’ia sect.

Speaking on Wednesday, Samuel Aruwan, spokesman to Nasir el-Rufai, the Kaduna governor, said the ban on the IMN was misconstrued to mean a ban on the Shi’ia sect.

He said that the state had suffered and endured too many calamities, triggered by persons and groups that insisted on foisting their faith or political preferences on others.

Aruwan explained that in any civilised society, any right enjoyed by any citizen was in respect for the rights of other citizens.

“The IMN was never a registered organisation and it refused to conduct itself with full adherence to the laws of this state,” he said.

“Other groups in the Shi’ia tradition are active in Nigeria. Like adherents of all other faiths, they are free to practice their creed without injuring the rights of others. No citizen or group of persons can decide to disobey a valid law, without expecting that law enforcement will do its work.

“[The government] did not and cannot ban any religion, but it has a duty to declare as unlawful any group that threatens peace and security.

“We have warned that mob action will not be permitted under any guise. The duty of every citizen is to report every illegal action or suspicious activity to the security agencies.”