Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) submits Memo to Presidential Investigative Panel

The legal team of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria has completed the filing of memorandum to the Presidential Investigative Panel set up by Vice President Yomi Osinbajo to investigate cases of human rights abuses by the Military some weeks back.

As the largest single group of victims of Nigerian Military's most brutal and flagrant abuses of Human rights in the country, the Islamic Movement has all it takes to nail the planners and executors of the mass killing of our members in July 2014 and the more audacious Zaria genocide of December 2015, which involved horrendous mass murder of over a thousand unarmed civilians within a few hours, arson, looting, rape, hate speeches and campaigns, genital mutilation with aim of limiting reproduction within the group, mass graves, wrongful detention and enforced disappearances.

The crimes of the military against the Islamic Movement were not mere human rights abuses but indeed crimes against humanity, for which the International Criminal Court at The Hague has since opened a preliminary investigation. It remains to be seen whether the present presidential panel is sufficiently independent to do a thorough job.

Earlier, the Islamic Movement had pointed out its concerns about the purpose and composition of the Presidential Panel through a letter sent to the President and published in paid advertisements. Other areas of concern expressed by IMN include the possible exclusion of those being detained who may not be allowed to make their own submission and the traditional recalcitrant attitude and lack of cooperation of the military in previous attempts at investigating these crimes.

Notwithstanding the doubts of the fairness, independence and impartiality of the Presidential Panel, the leader of the Movement, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky has decided that a memo be sent to the Presidential Panel after a rare meeting with the head of the Legal team, Barr Femi Falana SAN last week. It was only the second time the Sheikh was allowed to meet with the legal team in 22 months of illegal detention.

It remains to be seen whether or not the Presidential Panel has the guts and wherewithal to do a thorough independent job.

The Free Zakzaky Campaign team will keep you informed on development in that regard.

*©FreeZakzaky Campaign Committee, October 2017*