Nigerian government refuses to implement the Supreme Court order to release Hujjat al-Islam Zakzaky
RNA – Speaking before the Friday prayer sermon at Qom’s Qods Prayer Hall, Hujjat al-Islam Shuayb, a representative of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, referred to the crimes against the Shi’ah minority in Nigeria and said, “The attack by the police and army of the Nigerian government against the Islamic Movement of Nigeria and the Shi’ah leader of this country, Hujjat al-Islam Ibrahim Zakzaky, isn’t a new issue.”
The Nigerian Shi’ah scholar added, “Since the beginning of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria in 1979, which took place in order to create social justice and reform in the country, many attacks were carried out in order to prevent its Islamic activities and these attacks have been attempted through various means, including torture, imprisonment and personality destruction.”
Noting that the Nigerian government has expanded the country’s battlefield against the Shi’ahs of this country in recent years, he said, “The government, in co-operation with the arrogant countries of the world, led by the United States and Wahhabis, is pursuing various conspiracies against the Shi’ahs and over the past decade, they have implemented the destruction of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria but they weren’t able to achieve any result due to divine favour.”
Hujjat al-Islam Shuayb stated, “Three years ago, with the help of criminals, the Nigerian government committed crimes against innocent people. The Nigerian government has committed many violations and the government and the army, in accordance with domestic law and international law, have no right to commit crimes against cultural and political groups.”
His Eminence stated that the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, headed by Hujjat al-Islam Zakzaky, isn’t an armed movement and noted, “This Shi’ah movement is an Islamic and social movement that has its own political views, the Nigerian government has the right to attack the Islamic Movement of Nigeria.”
He said that after the criminal actions of the Nigerian army against this Shi’ah group, a truth commission was formed, which concluded that the Shi’ahs and Hujjat al-Islam Zakzaky were not guilty and that the Nigerian government hadn’t taken any action against the criminals. The Supreme Court of Nigeria ordered the release of the leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria but the government of Nigeria hasn’t acted on this order two years after the issuance of this decree.”
Hujjat al-Islam Shuayb noted that Nigerian government forces have repeatedly attacked Shi’ah communities and arrested thousands of Nigerian Shi’ahs over the past few years and said, “In the latest criminal act by the Nigerian army, about fifty Shi’ahs were attacked by armed forces while participating in a march commemorating Arba’in and were martyred. This crime was condemned by various groups in Nigeria, including Christians.”
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