The Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufai, says he will set up a judicial commission of inquiry into last weekend’s deadly clash between the Nigerian Army and members of the Shi’ia Islamic Movement, which left more than 60 people dead.
The army said troops used force after members of the group barricaded a road in Zaria and attempted to kill the chief of army, Tukur Buratai.
The exact number of casualties is still unclear, but majority of the victims are believed to be members of the Shi’ia sect.
Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, the sect’s leader, was arrested by the military, after his wife and son were killed in the violence, the group said.
The killings have sparked international condemnation, with calls for a transparent investigation.
In a broadcast Thursday, Mr. El-Rufai announced a ban on processions — in all parts of the state — that could result in roads being barricaded.
He also said a judicial commission of inquiry would be set up by the state government to look into the incident in Zaria.
The governor said the composition and terms of reference of the commission would be announced within two weeks.
He assured the people of the state that the government was committed to securing the state and upholding the rights of every citizen.
“We have witnessed sad events in Zaria,” the governor said. “There have been tragic consequences and needless loss of lives, and we extend our condolences to the families that have been affected.”
“In this sombre moment, the government has directed that steps be taken to address the humanitarian fallouts of the security operations,” he said.
Mr. El-Rufai said, “everyone has a fundamental right to their faiths and beliefs, but no one has any right to practice their faith in ways that diminish, distress or inconvenience others”.
He therefore announced that “henceforth, no person or group, under any guise will be allowed to block any road, obstruct public highways, occupy public facilities or inconvenience citizens in Kaduna State”.
“Anybody that needs to march may do so, but they cannot take over public facilities or disrupt social services and commercial activities in Kaduna State, and any march or procession can be undertaken only with the prior knowledge of, and protection of the police to prevent the breakdown of law and order,” he said.
The commission of inquiry is to be set up under the Tribunals of Inquiry Act. It will examine the immediate and remote causes of the Zaria incident, and assemble a factual and authoritative account that the government can study and act upon, he said.
The governor added that he would not tolerate any escalation of lawlessness, insisting that “the government continues to invest heavily in security as a foundation for the successful execution of our economic and social agenda to develop Kaduna State”.
“We all should jointly say no to actions that divide people, reject conduct that ignores or violates the legal and constitutional rights of others and oppose practices that contest the prerogatives of state institutions to safeguard and protect every citizen,” Mr. El-Rufai said.

Demolition Governor. Midget[b]Demolition Governor. Midget[/b]Demolition Governor. Midget
MIDGET

They should take it easy with those guys to avoid regrouping of another set of insurgence

Cadamlk:
They should take it easy with those guys to avoid regrouping of another set of insurgence

the Iranians will reply that question

Cadamlk:
They should take it easy with those guys to avoid regrouping of another set of insurgence

u didnt read the post thru.
The headline is misleading. The ban is a general ban on gathering that'l lead to road blockin nt directd specificaly at any grp.

El Rufai talking about assassination and ambush, and then referring to the video where soldiers are seen pleading with the angry youth.i think the former claim does not hold. i did not see any ambush in that video. to "ambush" means to lay waiting to attack. there was a road block and not an ambush and clearly no assassination attempt from the parts we could see in the video released.

aside, he did not tell us why the army sent for reinforcements after the army chief had passed, and then attacked the sheikh's house and the prayer hall. that is if the road block was accidental and the youths were not reacting to the claim by the Islamic Movement that the attack on the prayer hall started even before the road block incident. El Rufai stating the prayer hall isnt legal makes one to think that the demolition was already pre-planned, and the Islamic Movement claim that the attack on the hussainiyyah (Shiite prayer hall) was before the road block could be very much true.

even if there should be demolition, why send soldiers who kill to demolish buildings when a religious occasion was taking place and many thousands of people were converging on the religious site? why didnt the police handle this? El Rufai is a trademark name for demolitions everywhere like Y'ello and MTN! and how are we to believe a building standing has been an illegal structure for many years? and did the government deny the organization permit to build that led them to put up their building in disregard of laws? the more they are telling us, the more questions we are having.

he did not mention about the fate of the dead bodies claimed today in a report to have been buried in mass graves to conceal the toll, and he did not mention about the whereabout of the sheikh and his family members. this was the same el rufai who visited Zakzaky in January in his "illegal structures". back then, when el rufai was campaigning and seeking votes and political support, he perhaps turned a blind eye that the sheikh he was visiting was using an "illegal building"!

the below are pics of el rufai in january visiting Zakzaky in the "illegal" building!

[img]http://4.bp..com/-U9yJcHK2Gwg/VnCA7SZDXlI/AAAAAAAHrcM/0vv9TqlC8Kc/s1600/0.jpg[/img]

[img]http://1.bp..com/-dAHPkGBiESw/VnCA7yR53eI/AAAAAAAHrcQ/Hxyfh4m1VYE/s1600/1.jpg[/img]