El RufaiGovernor inaugurates judicial commission over clash between Nigerian Army, Shiites
Malam Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai on Friday, inaugurated a Judicial Commission of Inquiry to look into a clash between the Nigeria Army and Shiites Islamic sect which led to the killing of hundreds of people in Zaria North Central State of Kaduna, last December.
Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai on
Friday, inaugurated a Judicial Commission of Inquiry to look into a
clash between the Nigeria Army and Shiites Islamic sect which led to the
killing of hundreds of people in Zaria North Central State of Kaduna,
last December.
Leader of Shiite Muslims in Nigeria, Sheikh Ibrahim El Zakzaky was reportedly flown to France to receive treatment for injuries he sustained during a clash between the group and the Nigerian Army in December 2015.
Even
though the Islamic Movement in Nigeria also known as Shiites said they
won't be part of the committee, the group spokesman told Pulse that the
formation of the commission of enquiry was already one sided.
Speaking
during the inauguration, Kaduna State governor, Malam Nasir Elrufai
said Since the government announced its decision to constitute the
Judicial commission of Inquiry they have been asked why the inquiry in
the light of certain actions the government has taken.
"Our
response is that it is neither right nor prudent for the Kaduna State
Government to abdicate its constitutional responsibility, and to conceal
this under the cover of a commission of inquiry. Governance cannot be
suspended even for processes as weighty as a Judicial Commission of
Inquiry. Where the government has evidence that crimes have been
committed, it is only proper that prosecutions be initiated," Elrufai said.
"Let
it be clear that the Kaduna State Government is convinced that a
Judicial Commission of Inquiry provides a chance to understand the events
that happened, their background, establish casualties, assign
responsibilities and make appropriate recommendations to the federal and
state governments, so that such tragedies may be avoided in future.
Those that wrongly believe that a federal government inquiry is
necessary to satisfy them should note that under the 1999 Constitution,
only State Governments can institute judicial commissions of inquiry in
their states," Elrufai added.
But the group
said they won't be part of the judicial commission adding that there was
no way they will be part of a commission without knowing the
whereabouts of their leader, Sheik Ibrahim Zakzaky and hundreds of
members allegedly under detention.
The group
through their spokesman, Ibrahim Musa, told Pulse by a telephone that
they have so far got over 700 names of their members that are missing
adding that the numbers are still counting.
Musa
said government must released over 800 corpses of their members killed
if it is interested to hear their own side of the story.
"We
are not going to be part of this judicial commission because of the
following reasons: The government should released our Leader, all our
members that are in detention, and they should released all corpses of
the people they killed. We want to give our members they killed a
befitting burial."
"We are compiling the list of our people that are still in detention, killed or missing. So far, we have more
than 700 names of the missing people and the names are still coming.
Let me tell you, we do not belief in the commission because they are not
independent bodies. They are not human rights organisation," Ibrahim
said.
Meanwhile, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen.
Tukur Buratai, has said that he almost got killed by the Shiites Muslim
sect during theSaturday encounter between his convoy and the sect group
in Zaria Kaduna state last December.
Buratai who spoke for the first time on the issue when he had a closed door session with the Senate committee on Defence said it was the powers of God that saved his life.
"You want to know how I escaped? It was by the will of God that I was able to escape from that place.
"I
think NTA was there and they aired the clip, it was very clear. They
were violent, definitely this is very clear, the clips are there. That
was what happened. Nobody should take the law into his hands", he said.
Justice Mohammed Lawal Garba – is the Chairman of the judicial commission that will look into the Zaria Army/ Shiites clash.
Prof.
Salihu Shehu was named as Commissioner, Prof. Umar Labdo, Commissioner,
Malam Salihu Abubakar – Commissioner, Prof. Auwalu Yadudu –
Commissioner, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari – Commissioner, Mr. Afakriya
Gadzama – Commissioner, Brigadier-General Aminun-Kano Maude (rtd) –
Commissioner, Dr. Jibrin Ibrahim, Mrs. Khadijah Hawaja Gambo, Mr. Bilya
Bala, Major-General Alexander Anjili, Mrs. Desire Deseye Nsirim (CP
Rtd.) and Dr. Bala Babaji are also part of the committee.
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