Why we killed Shi’ite members, arrested leader – Nigerian Army

Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, sect leader

The Nigerian Army on Monday evening defended its action in what is now being tagged as the Zaria killings. The General Officer Commanding, 1 Mechanised Army Division, Kaduna, Maj.-Gen. Adeniyi Oyebade, gave the Army’s side of the story at a joint press conference with the Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, Umar Shehu, at the 1 Division headquarters in Kaduna. Excerpts:

“The Shi’ite leader and his wife are safe and in protective custody even though I do not know how many wives he has since it was reported that his wife is dead and in the course of time, he, himself will be speaking to his members.

“You will recall that on the 12 of December, 2015, Mr. President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Muhammadu Buhari, was in Kaduna state for the convocation of the Kaduna state University and the music festival at the Ahmadu Bello University which myself and the Commissioner of Police as well as staff officers also attended, including the Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai.

“Just after Mr President left Kaduna to Abuja after a successful official visit, I decided to go to Zaria to meet up with the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, who was to pay a courtesy visit on the Emir of Zazzau and also attend the passing out parade of our recruits in Deport Nigerian Army.

“He (COAS) was coming in from Dutse, because that same week, we held the COAS conference in Dutse, in Jigawa State. He got to Zaria at about 14.30 hours (2.30pm) and the advance security team had cleared the road up to and including the city centre. There was no problem. The same security team made a U-turn to now bring in the COAS’ convoy which is our normal security routine whenever we are escorting our boss.

“But shockingly enough, members of the Shi’ite sect, lead by El-Zakzaky, blocked the Sokoto road to be precise and we found that that was unusual, but because we thought that they were being overzealous so two senior officers in the COAS’ convoy came down from their vehicles appealing to these hoodlums to please clear the road so that the COAS can go ahead with his scheduled programme.

“All entreaties, appeals to these Shi’ite sect members, in their hundreds, refused to budge. It got to the point that they started throwing dangerous missiles, stones, machete and all kinds of traditional or crude weapons I would say at the COAS convoy.

“It was at that point that it dawned on the security forces, especially the bodyguards of the Chief, including our quick response group stationed in Zaria, that this was not something that happened spontaneously. It was in our calculation premeditated and of course whenever any VIP or any facility is under our charge, we must secure that person or the property, in this case, the COAS. And it came to the quick conclusion of the security forces that the life of the COAS was under threat and they had no other option than to force their way through the blockage including the use of lethal weapons.

“That is allowed within the rules of engagement. As if that was not enough, as he was moving through, they we mobilizing in their hundreds. Thankfully, the COAS was able to wade through these hoodlums and went on to pay homage to the Emir before getting to Deport Nigerian Army.

“While this was going on, recall I said we had just seen off the president in company of the CP, I got a report from my commanders in Zaria of what was happening and of course, I started racing to the scene to find out exactly what was happening. But thankfully, by the time I got there the COAS had passed through. But then, we got reports that the Shi’ite members where mobilizing across Zaria in their various enclaves, shrines or what have you.

“As the GOC of 1 Division I take that very seriously that the life of the COAS is under threat and within the rules of engagement permissible by law, I had to bring the forces available to me to bring the situation under control and that was exactly what I did. But because we are operating in a city, we also informed the police of what was happening and they also provided the mobile police force to be able to restore law and order.

“My initial orders to the security agencies were just to keep everywhere cool and calm but little did we know that we were in for a bloody night. As you all know, the Shi’ite members numbered in their thousands and they were mobilizing and attacking security forces across Zaria.

“Again within the rules of engagement, we had to use the force available to bring it down and that was exactly what we did. Quite a number of our security forces were also casualties in this dastardly act by the sect so also some members of the Shi’ite sect. And because of the report we had that they were mobilizing at their three key strong points including the big temple called the Hussaniyya, the area occupied by the sect leader in Gyelleus and another temple somewhere on Danbo road, I decided that I had to bring the situation under control by securing those three sites.

“In the course of this engagement, of course there were casualties, there were also causalities among the security forces. In that operation, I made one categorical statement to my men, we must within the rules of our engagement make sure as much as it was feasible then to bring in the leader of the sect alive. We do not want him dead. He is a citizen of Nigeria. But we felt that, given the raging violence in the city, it was important that we bring him into protective custody. At about 9.15 today (yesterday) morning we successfully executed that.

“I want to send a message across all the Shi’ite members across the length and breadth of Nigeria especially in North-West zone under my charge, I urge them to keep the peace, I urge them to be law abiding, I urge them not to offer violence to members of the security forces, I urge them to go about their activities peacefully,’ he said.

Oyebade accused the sect of denying the communities surrounding their shrines freedom. “I want to assure them that the security forces have nothing against the sect and in fact, I see them as my brothers and sister for the simple reason that we are all Nigerians and we all have the same rights under the law.” 

Rights group cautions Army against instigating another insurgency

Executive Director of CASER, Mr Frank Tietie

An Abuja-based human rights group¸ Citizens Advocacy for Social and Economic Rights (CASER), has cautioned the Nigerian Army against “unnecessary use of force” against the Islamic Movement of Nigeria in the aftermath of Saturday’s deadly clash in Zaria, Kaduna State.

CASER, in a statement by its Executive Director, Mr Frank Tietie, on Monday, urged the Army to tread with caution and observe due process of law in its action against the Shi’te sect to avoid another insurgency.

The Army and members of the sect have been trading blames over the clash that left several members of the movement dead.

Spokesman of the force, Sani Usman, alleged in a statement on Saturday that the Shi’te followers attacked the convoy of the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, while on his way to the palace of the Emir of Zazzau, in an attempt to assassinate him.

But the Islamic movement has dispelled the allegation, saying that the soldiers simply decided to attack “defenceless people”.

There have also been reports of arrest of the sect leader, Ibrahim Elzakzaky, and demolition of his home by the Army authorities. The Force had not reacted to the reports as of the time of packaging this story.

The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has also warned the authorities against plunging the country “into another Boko Haram-like insurgency with the repeated attacks on members” of the sect.

The CASER’s statement reads in part, “It is very doubtful and unlikely that a group of worshippers would ordinarily take delight in attacking the Nigerian Army when they know the might of the Army in the deployment of force for the maintenance of order and protection of lives and property.

“It is pertinent to ask why would a group of worshippers want to assassinate the Chief of Army Staff of Nigeria? What carefully laid out plan did the group adopt to carry out the assassination attempt? Was it a spontaneous encounter between the worshippers and the convoy of the Chief of Army Staff in course of a religious ceremony? Is there a disproportionate report of the encounter?

“These answers to the above questions cannot come from the Nigerian Army but from an independent institution like the Nigeria Police or the National Human Rights Commission.

"Unfortunately, conclusions are already being drawn without any proper inquiry or investigation. In fact, it has been reported that the Nigerian Army has embarked on a reprisal mission to arrest the leader of the group, El Zak Zakky by surrounding his residence with troops to the provocation of his followers.

“The Nigerian authorities must learn from the mismanagement of the crisis between the then Ali Modu Sheriff led Government of Borno State and the group that was led by a young Muslim Cleric, Mohammed Yusuf.

“It was the extrajudicial killing of Mohammed Yusuf that was the precursor to the metamorphosis of a religious movement to the dreaded Boko Haram crisis that has claimed the life of an estimated 20,000 Nigerian citizens since 2009.

“Care and caution must be observed in dealing with the recently reported clash between the Nigerian Army and Shiite Muslims who have been accused of attempting to assassinate the Chief of Army Staff, General Burutai in Kaduna.

“The reported siege on El ZakZakky's residence  by the Nigerian Army is hasty. There is no report that any form of investigation has commenced on the reported clash between the Army and the Shiite worshippers.

“There is also no report that the Shiite leader has been invited by the authorities and he has refused or adduced any reason for his declination of such an invitation.

“The Shiite leader on the contrary has shown marks of maturity and serious restraint when he cautioned his followers to be calm following the death of his son along with other worshippers in an earlier clash with the Nigerian Army. He is also reported to have sued for calm in the present crisis.

“CASER calls for an urgent  investigation of the claims of an assassination attempt on the person of the Chief of Army Staff of Nigeria before any action should be taken against any group or persons.

“While such an investigatory process is set in motion, it would amount to an unnecessary provocation of the Shiite group by moving to arrest it's leader without prima facie grounds of his complicity in the reported assassination attempt on the Chief of Army Staff.

“The Nigerian authorities must recognise and respect the sacrosanctity of the freedom of religion, thought and conscience as guaranteed by Section 38 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Citizens cannot be made to be afraid for holding unto legitimate faiths however misunderstood by the authorities.

“It is important for Nigerians to know that the Shiite group is not being stereotyped for any alleged criminal acts by some other persons. Therefore, it is only in the observance of the due process of law that would ensure a clarification of the truth about the assassination attempt.

“There would be no need for any group of religious persons to resort to violence as a means of self-help when they perceive that justice is prevalently and manifestly done.”

22 teams spoil for war as Ibori soccer tourney debuts

Oghara Township Stadium, venue of the competition 

November 10, 2015

Twenty-two teams drawn from Delta State and neighbouring Edo are set to clash in the forthcoming maiden edition of the Chief James Onanefe Ibori Soccer Competition to be held at Oghara. 

Organiser of the tournament and Director of Cable Soccer Academy, Oghara, Coach Edwin Onovwotafe, said in a statement that the event would hold between Nov. 22 and Dec. 15 at the Oghara Township Stadium in Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State. 

Onovwotafe, a 2004 graduate of the National Institute for Sports (NIS), Lagos, stated that the event is being packaged to honour former Governor James Ibori in recognition of his contribution to sports development in Delta.

''Ibori did a lot for sports especially football at the grassroots level during his tenure. The former governor is very passionate about football, which he sees as a viable tool for positive engagement of young people to divert their attention from social vices.

''During his eight-year tenure between 1999 and 2007, the state witnessed an unprecedented level of provision and development of its sports facilities by the government.

"The Ibori administration built stadia in the three senatorial districts of the state, including the one in Oghara that is hosting this competition.

"This tournament is our little way of appreciating him as well as giving youngsters a platform to showcase their raw soccer talents," Onovwotafe said.

Up for grabs, according to him, are cash prizes, medals and trophies for the best three teams.

He added that prizes would also be awarded in different individual and team performance categories such as the highest goal scorer, best goal keeper, among others.