Group criticises IMN over burning of US, Israeli flags

The Coalition in Defence of Democracy and Good Governance has condemned the burning of the American and Israeli flags by members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), better known as Shiites.

The Shiites set ablaze the national flags of the US and Israel during a massive protest in Abuja on Friday.

The protesters, who converged on Wuse market junction, described both countries as enemies and oppressors of the people of Palestine.

Abdullahi Musa, secretary of the academic forum of the movement, said the flags were burnt to show anger against the countries over their “oppressive tendency” against Palestine.

But reacting, CDDGG accused IMN of extending its “terror activities” beyond Nigeria.

According to a statement by Gabriel Ajibili, executive secretary, the recent burning of the flags of the United States of America, as well as that of Israel by members of the IMN, was an indication of a more significant threat in the pipeline as posed by the IMN, whose history is “replete with violence, aggression and complete disregard for constituted authorities in the country”.

He called on the authority to designate IMN as a terrorist organisation.

The statement below:

The Coalition in Defence of Democracy and Good Governance views such act as highly provocative and an attempt to drag Nigeria into a diplomatic row with the United States of America and Israel. The IMN has clearly shown to the world that it is indeed a violent organization with backing from an international network that continues to fund its activities and consequently dictates to it acts to carry out such as burning of the flags of the United States of America and Israel.

The Coalition in Defence of Democracy and Good Governance condemn in its entirety the actions of the IMN and calls on the relevant security agencies to throw their searchlight on the IMN to identify their sponsorship network.

The Coalition in Defence of Democracy and Good Governance states in unequivocal terms that the IMN by its recent actions is indeed acting on behalf of some interest groups that are bent on seeing the disintegration of Nigeria.

These interest group having identified the IMN as a violent and extremist organization have decided to discreetly carry out their plot to destabilize Nigeria as evident in the posturing of the IMN in Nigeria in recent times.

The Coalition in Defence of Democracy and Good Governance condemns the burning of the flags of the United States of America and Israel by the Islamic Movement in Nigeria and views such as acts of terrorism.

The Coalition in Defence of Democracy and Good Governance consequently call on the United Nations to act swiftly in the overall interest of Nigeria by designating the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, a terrorist organization.

The United Nations would wish to note that the history of the IMN in Nigeria has been replete with acts of terrorism that have led to the death of hundreds of innocent Nigerians. The IMN has also continued to harass and intimidate innocent Nigerians through their nefarious activities.

The Coalition in Defence of Democracy and Good Governance views the threat posed by the IMN in Nigeria with great concern and therefore states that unless urgent steps are taken, the terrorist activities of the IMN might consume Nigeria and by extension sub-Saharan Africa.

The Coalition in Defence of Democracy and Good Governance believes that the time to act is now by designating the IMN as a world terrorist organization as there is sufficient evidence that suggests the IMN is acting on behalf of an international conspiracy by burning the flags of the United States of America and Israel.

The Coalition in Defence of Democracy and Good Governance states that the urgency of now requires the United Nations and other critical stakeholders in the act of ensuring the entrenchment of peace all around the world to take proactive steps in addressing the menace as posed by the Islamic Movement in Nigeria.