By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
The Resource Forum of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, IMN, the Shiites said the killings and suppression of its members was another dimension to the various reasons adjudged to have caused the massive failure of President Muhammadu Buhari administration as it winds up its eight year tenure this week.
This was made known to newsmen in a press statement signed by Prof. Abdullahi Danladi of the Resource Forum on Monday 22nd May 2023.
According to the statement, “Many theories have been put forward as to the reasons of the miscarriage of General Buhari in delivering Nigeria to the Promised Land.
“Some attribute it to lack of professionalism in selecting the cabinet and ill -conception of the policies on which the government was run. Some saw the problem of nepotism and lack of the will to checkmate the bizarre corrupt activities of the government officials.
“All these could be contributory factors in the unforgivable and successful failure of the Buhari administration”, it stated.
The statement added “However, there can be another dimension to the theories ,what could have been the reasons of Mr. Buhari’s failures.”
Prof. Danladi statement further stressed that, “It is no more news that between 12th and 15th December, 2015, President Buhari let loose his trigger happy Nigerian Army who went on killing -spree in Zaria.
“This action of Mr. President, has written his name and that of Nigeria on the black pages of human history. Over a thousand armless people including babies, lactating mothers with their children, old and promising youths were killed openly.
“The house of Sheikh Zakzaky was burnt and demolished along with his 70 year old elder sister. Copies of the Holy Quran were destroyed along other religious books”, it added.
Similarly, the Fudiya Islamic Centre and Husainiyya Baqiyatullah all in Zaria were ransacked, burnt and demolished by the “popular” government of that time.
The bodies of martyrs were dumped in mass graves along with some injured that were still alive and shouting “La ilaha illallah Muhammadur Rasulullah” (meaning: there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah)”, it stated.
It added that, “Now that the game is over for Buhari and his cohorts, let us ask: what have you achieved in the killings you supervised? To what extent have you succeeded in eliminating the Shiites?
“Have you been able to curtail the spread of Shia in Nigeria? Yes you have killed a few thousands. How does that compare with the population of the Shia in Nigeria?”
“As for the spread of Shiism, your crime has succeeded in making the Islamic Movement more popular in Nigeria and beyond.
“Many people who were hitherto oblivious or ignorant of the call and mission of Sheikh Zakzaky of establishing the Divine message of Allah as brought and commanded by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sawa) have now come to understand and identify with him and the Movement,” he added.
The statement kicked against the recent apology tendered by President Buhari to aggrieved citizens, “The recent apology and call for forgiveness to say the least is absurd. Does your apology apply to the Shia, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky, his wife Malama Zeenah and other faithfuls that you have rendered widows and orphans?
“Will common sense (where available) agree that you kill thousands of innocent people because of their religious beliefs and then just casually say sorry to the press while celebrating Eid?”
“The spirit of those killed by your government will continue to torment you for the rest of your life, and on the Day of Judgment, when we assemble before Allah (the All-knowing), the results of our actions will be made available. It is then the righteous will be sorted from the evil and will be rewarded accordingly and made to retire eternally to their fates,” the statement averred.
