BY Temitope Yakubu
The Coalition for Nigeria, a civil society orgnaisation, says it has uncovered plots by Iran and the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) to terrorise Nigeria.
The coalition claimed that Iran is discreetly breeding another terrorism sect in Nigeria through IMN extremists.
At a press conference on Saturday, Patriot Odeh, national convener of the coalition, said IMN is an affiliate of Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and should be declared a terrorist group.
He, therefore, called on the Nigerian government and particularly, the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice to expedite action on designating the IMN sect a terrorist’s organisation.
“Surely, we are motivated to draw the attention of Nigerians and the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) and the world at large to the solidified mutation and grooming of another terrorist’s sect in the country. It’s members have disguised under the canopy of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN),” he said.
“IMN’s leaders from Sheik Ibraheem El Zakzaky to those at the lower rungs of leadership of this religious extremists or violent sect have never hidden its affiliation to ISIS and the Republic of Iran. All have boasted publicly and at different times of importing the Iranian Shia ideology into Nigeria and the West Africa sub-region.
“In recent times and with the lawful detention of the Spiritual leader of IMN, Sheik El-Zakzaky, the sect members have engaged security agents in countless violent confrontations in Abuja or elsewhere under the pretext of protests over the detention of their leader. But the protests in all verifiable instances defile civic conventions of public protests.
“Therefore, we are aghast at the tolerance and continuous celebration of the glaring importation and practice of the Iranian religious extremism in Nigeria by the so called Shiites. It’s a serious potential threat to national security and sovereignty of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Unfortunately, the federal authorities are handling it with kid gloves. Yet, the IMN members have been caught many times in possession of illegal fire arms and ammunition while on the so-called public protests. And the notoriety of the sect members has continued, unchecked, unabated and blossoming, in spite of the other subsisting and dire insecurity challenges facing Nigeria.
“Nigerians were again assailed by the impudently ferocious, cruel and crude exhibition of violence against the Nigerian state and security agents a few days back. The IMN sect members in hundreds of thousands sneaked into Abuja and besieged the gates of the National Assembly Complex in the guise of protests to commemorate the 68th birthday anniversary of IMN’s spiritual leader, El-Zakzaky.
“But as usual and consistent with the character of the IMN, the supposedly peaceful protests turned violent as they forcefully broke into the gates of the National Assembly complex, chanting anti-government songs and “Alahu Akbar.” They also brandished dangerous weapons, compelling the Police sentinels to take to their heels to avoid another clash with the sect members.
“It is very clear to all discerning minds that El-Zakzaky is standing trial over alleged acts of terrorism which in the past resulted into mass murders, alongside other adherents of his sect in possession of illegal fire arms in quantities and sophistication only permissible in the hands of Nigerian security agents or state recognized agencies.”
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