₦airaland Forum

STATEMENT BY THE LEGAL TEAM OF THE ISLAMIC MOVEMENT IN NIGERIA (IMN)
ON THE SUBMISSION OF THE REPORT OF THE JUDICIAL COMMISSION OF INQUIRY SET UP BY THE KADUNA STATE GOVERNMENT

The Judicial Commission of Inquiry inaugurated by the Kaduna State Government on the 29th day of January 2016 on the “clash” between members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria and the Nigerian Army submitted its report to the Kaduna State Government on the 15th day of July 2016. In his remarks at the submission of the report, the Chairman of the Commission Hon. Justice Mohammed Lawal Garba Stated that:
“They (IMN) had appeared, they were
represented by counsels at the initial stage of the proceedings, but for no reason known to the commission, the counsels decided to opt out.
“I said for no reason known to the commission because there was no formal communication to the commission on why they decided not to continue their appearance before the commission.

“However, there were newspapers and online publications that they did not want to appear. Because of that we had to apply for extension of time and at the end of the day we have been able to produce a report of the commission’s assignment,”
I have the instructions and mandate of Femi Falana, SAN to respond to the remarks made by the Chairman of the Commission while submitting his report to the Kaduna State Government.
The Legal Team of the IMN believes that it is disingenuous for the Chairman of the Commission to claim that he is not aware of the reasons for the withdrawal of the Legal Team of the IMN (comprising of Femi Falana, SAN, Festus Okoye Esq and Maxwell Kyon Esq) from further participation in the proceedings of the Commission and the reasons are:
1. On the 8th and 9th of February 2016 the Legal Team of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria met with the Inspector General of Police and the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS) to get the express permission and authorization of the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) Sheik Ibrahim Zak Zaky for purposes of their appearance and participation before the Judicial Commission of Inquiry and same was denied.

2. On the 11th day of February 2016, the Legal Team of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) wrote to the Secretary of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry intimating him of its inability to submit memorandum/da as the Legal Team was denied access to the Leader of the Movement Sheik Ibrahim Zak Zaky.

3. On the same 24th day of February 2016, a member of the Legal Team, Maxwell Kyon Esq. appeared before the Judicial Commission and clearly stated that the Legal Team appeared out of respect to the Commission considering the fact that it has been denied access and opportunity to meet with and conference with the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria and cannot in the circumstances provide meaningful representation and or put up any meaningful appearance before the Judicial Commission.

4. On Monday the 29th day of February 2016, Maxwell Kyon Esq. appeared before the Judicial Commission and informed the Commission that nobody has seen the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria and that the facilitation the Commission promised has not yielded any positive result.

5. On the 9th day of March 2016 Festus Okoye Esq. and Maxwell Kyon Esq. appeared before the Commission and gave a detailed exposition of the efforts that the Legal Team made and continued to make up to the said 9th of March 2016 to be granted access to the leader of the Islamic Movement. It was on the basis of this that the Commission directed that Counsel to the Commission to liaise with the Attorney General of the Federation and the Attorney General of Kaduna State to facilitate access to the leader of the Movement.

6. On the 7th day of March, 2016 the Commission wrote to the Attorney General of the Federation and the Attorney General of Kaduna State and served copies of the said letters on the Legal Team of the IMN on the 8th day of March 2016 and urged collaboration and facilitation of access of the Legal Team representing the IMN and Counsel to the Commission to see the detained leader of the IMN between now and Friday 11th March, 2016 and to report back at the next sitting of the Commission scheduled for Monday, 14th March, 2016.

7. On the 14th day of March 2016 the Counsel to the Commission reported to the Commission that they had written to the Attorney General of the Federation and the Attorney General of Kaduna State but they had difficulties in getting the Attorney General to act on the said letter and the Commission adjourned to the 21st day of March 2016.

8. On the same 14th day of March 2016, in a clear attempt to blackmail the Legal Team of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, the Commission directed its Secretary Dr Bala Babaji to issue a Press Statement stating that “The Commission notes that IMN has been represented by Counsel and is satisfied that the said Counsel has been properly briefed by the IMN to appear before us. The Commission has strived hard to afford all parties to be fairly represented and treated with justice and fairness in all its deliberations. The Commission intends to proceed with its deliberations on Monday, March 21, 2016 by taking the Memorandum submitted by the Army. The Commission will furthermore issue to the public its schedule of appearances and presentations in due course. Counsel to the IMN are to submit their memorandum no later than March 21, 2016”.

Our Reaction to the Submission of Report by the Commission

a. The Judicial Commission of inquiry showed its limitations and complete lack of power in compelling the Department of State Services (DSS) to allow the Legal Team access to the Leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria and compelling the Service to release him conditionally or unconditionally to testify before the Commission.

b. The Judicial Commission was aware that the Kaduna State Government had made up its mind on the immediate and remote causes of what it calls the “unfortunate incident of 12th and 13th of December 2015” by framing charges of culpable homicide, rioting, unlawful assembly, possession of charms and unlawful restraint against 251 members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria.

c. The Commission never extended invitation to the over 251 members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria that are detained in the Kaduna Prison awaiting trial to testify before the Commission. These are the direct victims of the incident and over 50 of them are still carrying bullets and bullet wounds in their body and a number of them have died in detention as a result of injuries sustained by them during the clash.

d. In the light of the above, the Legal Team could not in good conscience continue participation in a judicial process with a pre determined outcome.

e. The Legal Team of the Islamic Movement was fully aware that the Commission was engaged in subterfuge and blackmail when its Counsel Mallam Yusuf Ali, SAN informed the Commission that he was yet to facilitate access to the leader of the Islamic Movement only for the Commission to claim on the same day that “The Commission notes that IMN has been represented by Counsel and is satisfied that the said Counsel has been properly briefed by the IMN”

f. The Counsel to the Commission Mallam Yusuf Ali, SAN did inform the Commission that he met with the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria in detention and he informed him of his willingness to testify before the Commission yet the Commission was powerless in getting the Department of State Services to allow the leader of the Islamic Movement to testify before it.

g. The Legal Team of the Islamic Movement (IMN) did not have the locus to give evidence on behalf of a client who the Commission was powerless to facilitate access to or compel his release and attendance.

h. The Legal Team insists that it would have been an exercise in futility to continue participation and appearance before the Judicial Commission of Inquiry that deliberately refused to exercise the powers conferred on it by law to compel the release and appearance of one of the parties when the said party was being held by one of the parties to the dispute.

i. The Legal Team of the Islamic Movement (IMN) on the instructions of the Leader of the Islamic Movement has since activated other constitutional and legal avenues of redress and will continue to use the instrumentality of the law to see that justice is done and that due process and the rule of law continues to be the guiding principle of our democracy.

Festus Okoye Esq.
(On behalf of the Legal Team)
Kaduna, July 18, 2016

Re:Extremism: Return of Aspiring Terrorists

By Mahfuz Mundadu

The article captioned “Extremism: Return of Aspiring Terrorists” written by one Charles Ibekwe and published by Today on Sunday 17th July, 2016 refers. “The strategies for anti-Yusuf Burutai has change…” So writes Charles Ibekwe. Those good in giving excuses are seldom good in anything else, but Charles seem not to know or so he pretends. In trying to defend Burutai, Charles ended up battering what remains of his benefactor’s already bettered image, more. The call for Burutai to come clean on corruption related accusations is in the sprit of anti corruption drive, this being one of the corner stones of this administration. And if such a call is what Charles Ibekwe calls anti-Yusuf Burutai, then Charles must have ended up equating Burutai with corruption.

Simply put, if anti corruption campaign equals anti-Yusuf Burutai, as insinuated by Charles Ibekwe, then the difference between corruption and Yusuf Burutai is the one between six and half a dozen. Yet Charles suppose to be defending Burutai. But with such a defender I do not think Burutai needs an enemy. Or could it be that Charles is trying to be satirical. If yes then, first thing first. Charles would have taken a lesson from Basket Mouth before such a crude attempt.

“Burutai is their enemy…” If corruption equals Burutai…and anti- corruption is synonymous to anti-Burutai, then to be an enemy to corruption qualifies you to be the enemy of Burutai. To this extents and under such a context, I remain proudly one and unapologetically so.

“In December of 2015 IMN’s alleged attempt on Burutai’s life drew unexpected repercussions.” The unexpected repercussion that Charles is having difficulty mentioning was the massacre of 1000+ innocent souls by the Nigerian army under the command and control of, we all know who. In resorting to half truth, baseless and unfounded allegations Charles seems to have lost track of events as they unfolded. About eight months after the Zaria massacre nobody was arraigned before any court of law within or outside Nigeria on any count charge to the effect of “attempting to assassinate” Burutai. Even the ardent defenders of the Zaria massacre have since abandon such line of argument in favour of “protective custody”. That is the down side of being an arm chair columnist.

“The sect that has oppressed Zaria and environs in Kaduna state never expected law and order could be enforced by a secular Army”. As one goes on to read that trash authored by Charles one starts to really appreciate the fact that practice indeed makes perfect. But the problem with being a pathological liar is that at a point in time the pathological liar starts becoming a victim of his hoary deceits.Enforcement of law and order is the constitutional responsibility of the Nigerian Police Force. Morally and legally speaking, if there was indeed an attempt on Burutai’s life then Burutai can not and must not be a prosecutor, a witness, a judge and the executioner in his own case. But in the case of Zaria massacre that was exactly what did happen. Having succeeded in killing Muslims in drove and failed woefully in killing Islamic awareness the likes of Charles would have understand and appreciate the fact that might wasn’t, isn’t and would never ever on its own be right. The power of logic and reasoning has since dragged the ugly faces of falsehood on the filthy mud of shame and disgrace. Their pot belly has been filled to capacity with humble pie. Now that the international criminal court is calling, the cowards seemed to have started wetting their crisp Khaki pantaloons. Polpot, Pinochet, Radovan Karadich all of inglorious memory are about to have soul and cellmates.

“They have built a militant base of radicalized youths that enforced their brutal occupation of the areas they chose”. Charles is having some challenges differentiating between Niger Delta Avengers and the peaceful, unarmed members of the Islamic Movement. Niger Delta Avengers are the ones that asked the commander in chief not to step in to their territory if he really value his life. He did comply. Because when it come to some truly radicalized youth even the Dubai landlord cum the butcher in zaria massacre can not guarantee him safe passage to and from the creek where there seem to be “are state wizin are state”. Hehehehe!

But we seemed to have been distracted for so long a piece. Now back to the bone of contention. Where did Burutai get the one million five hundred thousand dollars he used in buying choice property in Dubai? Solana Olumhense have this to say in his column of Sunday Trust of July 17, 2016. Read on:
“The army stated that the Buratai family actually has two properties in Dubai, paid for in instalments through personal savings three years ago. The government, similarly, hurriedly cleared the army chief. But it said nothing about [the] property. Instead, it said Buratai and his wives invested as “shareholders.” It made sure it did not say the General bought two pieces of property.
And then the Code of Conduct Bureau entered the story last week, following a Freedom of Information request by a citizen. It confirmed that Buratai owns the Dubai assets, and has declared them. The Bureau’s exact words are interesting: “We also wish to confirm that his property at Dubai was declared in the wife’s name.”
“His property...declared in the wife’s name.” These claims are in conflict and are difficult to reconcile. To Buratai goes the credit for his dogged personal savings. But consider that while the government says he acquired the Dubai assets in collaboration with his wives, the CCB says he declared it in the name of one. Did he declare one-or both-in his wife’s name, or each property in the name of a different wife?
If he declared both in the name of one of the wives, it is quite conceivable, but unlikely, that he wedded the second only AFTER he had declared his assets in the name of the first. But that would then make nonsense of the clearance statement of the government that Buratai “and his wives” were together as “shareholders.”
What we have here is a sad tale that could have been an inspiring one. We could have had the outstanding tale of a soldier who can teach the world a thing or two about skillful money management and enterprise.
We could have enjoyed a scintillating tale of one of the few successful men making polygamy and serial fatherhood flourish on a salary, demonstrating his wizardry in production, management, marketing and export. Instead, we have a tale that appears to be contrived and controlled, and this has arisen because for a government which says it wants to fight corruption, Buhari shut the anti-corruption agencies from a routine investigation.
And also because Buratai, for his part, mistakenly conceives of silence as defense. That is how he has emerged as the most dangerous opponent to Buhari’s anti- corruption war, capable of eviscerating it from within.”

Me talking now. Charles take note. To be the mouth piece of tyrants, oppressors, Dracula and the “sagacious saver of our time” you need tones of intelligence. But you seemed to have a fraction of an ounce. So take a bow and get lost!

Re:Army, Shiite clash: Arewa youths faults Falana's claim

My attention was drawn to the above-named news report that appeared in the Nigerian daily of Vanguard Newspaper and it was in reaction to the well-articulated Letter of the Solicitors of IMN that was signed by its leading Counsel Femi Falana (SAN) to the Attorney-General of Kaduna state to commence the prosecution of the Soldiers that massacred at least 347 defenseless and unarmed Nigerians (as stated by officials of the Kaduna state government) in the Zaria massacre.

After the brutal massacre of defenseless civilians that included 100s of women and children, the masterminds and executors of the massacre sponsored faceless groups and individuals to justify the massacre and mislead the Nigerian public as what truly happened. The new group that acted as a front for them in challenging the Letter of Chief Femi Falana (SAN) is "Arewa Hope Foundation". This faceless group do not have any office location in anywhere in Nigeria and they do not have any online address or website that will present records of their past activities as a "Foundation". Gen Buratai and his gang of mass-murderers only created " Arewa Hope Foundation" to write a rejoinder to Falana's Letter. I am absolutely confident and I assure Nigerians that after this rejoinder, Nigerians will never hear the name "Arewa Hope Foundation" again just like Nigerians have not heard of all the other faceless groups that were sponsored by Buratai and his gang of mass-murderers.

But for the sake of academic discuss and clarification I decided to write this piece to debunk the points raised by this faceless group. From the press conference of the group, the group "faulted what it described as attempt by counsel to the Shiite sect, Femi Falana, to cast aspersions on the composition and work of the Kaduna State Commission of Inquiry set up by the state governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, to probe into the Army, Shiite Clash". Governor Nasir Elrufai does not have the locusstandi to establish any commission to probe the ZariaMassacre as he played active role in the massacre by burying the bodies of the victims in a single mass grave and from credible sources some of the victims were buried alive, and he also quickly destroyed all the physical evidences of the massacre and that constituted a war crime according to the Rome Status. The same Gov Elrufai immediately after the inhuman massacre in a state-wide address indicted IMN and its leader His Eminence Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky. Then how can the same Elrufai instituted a kangaroo commission to probe the massacre?

To clarify more on the heinous atrocities committed by Gov Elrufai in ZariaMassacre. Let's assume a group of people connived and murdered hundreds of Nigerians and they then contacted another person to help them dispose of the bodies of which majority of the victims were not even certify dead by any medical personnel. That person organized a group of grave-diggers and buried all the victims in a single mass grave. Is this person not a criminal who aided and abated the initial criminals who murdered hundreds of Nigerian civilians and burnt some of them alive? This is the position of Gov Elrufai and how can this same man be a Judge of the heinous crime that was undoubtedly a war crime that he himself was an active accomplice?

From the report the leader of the faceless group one Muhammadu Ibrahim "wondered why Falana would be calling for the prosecution of soldiers involved in the clash when the report of the panel is yet to be released". Femi Falana is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and by his action has acted within the confines of the laws of the Nigerian state. There is no law in Nigeria that bars Falana from calling for the prosecution of the soldiers who murdered hundreds of Nigerians and dumped their dead bodies in mass graves. IMN rightly decided to boycott the kangaroo commission due to the clearly stated reasons by Falana in his Letter, IMN is not waiting for any report of the kangaroo commission.

The report of the group states that "Ibrahim expressed concern that no one seems to be talking about justice for families of slain and injured personnel of the Nigerian Army". Nigerians do not show concern for that because they known that Buratai & Elrufai are lying when they claimed that IMN members killed a soldier. When Buratai made his presentation to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on the casualties of the Zaria massacre, he told Nigerians that " only 7 Shiites were killed and 10 injured ". Buratai never mentioned any deaths or injuries of Nigerian army personnel. The claims of death and injured soldiers was an after thought of the gang of mass-murderers of the Zaria massacre.

The group claimed that "Mr Falana and his client were saving face as they could not have face the revelations made about the atrocities, heinous crimes and the violent reputation of their sect.” IMN was not the entity that killed 1000+ defenseless and unarmed Nigerian civilians and dumped them in mass grave, this heinous and violent crimes and atrocities was perpetrated by the Nigerian army and the whole world is aware of that! So words such as " heinous", "crimes" and "atrocities" should be attributed to the Nigerian army who shot and bombed civilians during the inhuman massacre.

The faceless group also raised the same fictitious "Iranian $100 million support to IMN", the same claim that Buratai made in fraudulently accusing Iran of been behind his recent corruption allegations of diverting funds meant to fight the BokoHaram insurgency and bought choice properties in Nigeria and Dubai, UAE. I think it is better to ask Buratai and his gang of mass-murderers how much did the Saudi regime paid them after they slaughtered 1000 Shia Muslims in Nigeria and dumped their dead bodies in mass grave? Nigerians are asking how much were they paid to massacre defenseless and unarmed Nigerians to serve a foreign imperialist agenda that has the Saudi regime as a front?

Harun Elbinawi
elbinawi@yahoo.com
Elbinawi.

ZariaMassacre: IMN rejects "out of court settlement"

The ZariaMassacre is a household name today not only in Nigeria but the world over. Whoever is conscious of daily news event especially as relates to Africa is aware of the brutal massacre of 1000+ defenseless and unarmed civilians by the Nigerian army that took place last December in the Northern Nigerian city of Zaria. One of the prominent features of the ZariaMassacre as reported by the London-based human rights organization, Amnesty International, in their comprehensive report on the massacre "ZariaMassacre: Unearthing the Truth" was that the perpetrators did everything possible to destroy all physical evidences of the inhuman massacre. From washing all the blood spilled, to picked all the shells and bomb shells, to disposing the dead bodies by burying them in mass graves, to destruction of the physical structures that were attacked and bombed by the Nigerian army and to massive propaganda campaigns embarked by the Nigerian government using proxies such as the Nigerian army and the several Saudi-sponsored Wahhabi fronts in Nigeria.

Despite all the efforts mentioned above the ZariaMassacre refused to just go away and be forgotten and be buried with its victims who were brutally slaughtered by an army that was suppose to protect them. The Nigerian army Chief Lt Gen Tukur Buratai who was the spark of the massacre then claimed that "Shiites want to assassinate him". Seven (7) months after the massacre the Nigerian government have not charge anybody with " trying to assassinate Buratai ". Even the 191 members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) who survived the pogrom with various gunshot wounds and were imprisoned and charged to court using trump-up charges, none of them was charged with "trying to assassinate Buratai".

The Buratai " assassination attempt" was the monumental fraud used by the Nigerian government and President Buhari to justify the brutal murder of 1000+ Nigerian civilians just to execute a foreign imperialist agenda that has the Saudi regime as a front. There was never any assasination attempt on Buratai and that is why the Nigerian regime has not charge anybody to court for that as there is no proof to such allegation. The same Buratai is today facing damming corruption allegations of diverting funds meant to fund the BokoHaram insurgency and bought choice properties in Nigerian and Dubai, UAE.

After the brutal massacre of its members, fatally wounding its leader and his wife and the destruction of its properties, IMN took the civilize path of peaceful protest, public enlightenment of the massacre and taking its cases to Courts to seek redress for the monumental injustice done against it. The Court cases are on two fronts, the first was to refer the massacre to the International Criminal Courts (ICC) that is headquartered at the Huge, Netherlands, since the kangaroo commission that was instituted by Gov Nasir Elrufai is not credible, impartial and independent. The second batch of Court cases was in Nigeria where IMN and Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky took various Nigerian agencies that are responsible for his abduction and detention to enforce his fundamental human rights as enshrined in the Nigerian constitution.

One of such Courts is the Federal High Court 6, Abuja, under Justice Gabriel Kolawole. Despite foot-dragging by agencies of the Nigerian government, the court had held three sittings so far and in yesterday's (13/07/2016) sitting that failed to hold due to the absence of the legal Counsels of the agencies, Justice Gabriel Kolawole said that he heard there will be an "out of court settlement" on the Issue. The leading legal Counsel of Sheikh Zakzaky, Femi Falana (SAN), quickly denied any knowledge of that.

While Responding to questions from newsmen after the Court session Femi Falana (SAN) stated that there is no such thing as "out of court settlement" and called for the immediate and unconditional release of his client. He further stated that "his client was attacked by the Army in his residence, killed three of his sons, shot him and his wife severally, burned down his house and took him away asking what is there to be settled."

It is important to note that the "out of court settlement" is another gimmick by the Nigerian regime to deceive people that it wanted a peaceful settlement on the issue and to shield the masterminds and executors of the inhuman massacre from prosecution. There will be no "out of court settlement" on the ZariaMassacre as those who murdered 1000+ unarmed Nigerians, dumped their remains in mass graves and committed heinous war crimes must be prosecuted in competent Courts of law.

The ZariaMassacre was a foreign-sponsored agenda and until now the Nigerian regime is still executing that evil agenda by sponsoring a faceless money-mongering "Shia" group that does not have one thousand people on its membership list to launch smear campaigns of Calumny and demonization against the personality of Sheikh Zakzaky and IMN. These hoodlums even when to the extent of excommunicating Sheikh Zakzaky from Shia Islam to serve the unfolding agenda of their pay masters who are mass-murderers. This recently activated campaigns is in addition to the on going Nigerian regime's sponsorship of various Wahhabi/Salafi groups in anti-Shia propaganda and hate-mongering. The recent meeting of the Nigerian army Chief Buratai with these Wahhabi groups in Gusau, Zamfara state with the Wahhabi Deputy Governor of Zamfara state Wakkala in attendance is part of this agenda.

On a final note, IMN is not part of any "out of court settlement" with those who slaughtered 1000+ Nigerian civilians in less than 48 hours and dumped their dead bodies in at least two mass graves. The families of the victims of the massacre demand for justice and so also the humanity with conscience also demand for justice.

Harun Elbinawi
elbinawi@yahoo.com
Elbinawi.

IMN Solicitors writes Kaduna State AG to commence prosecution of Soldiers that executed #ZariaMassacre:

July 8, 2016

The Attorney-General
& Commissioner for Justice,
Ministry of Justice, Kaduna,
Kaduna State.

Dear Honourable Attorney-General,

DEMAND FOR THE IMMEDIATE PROSECUTION OF THE MILITARY OFFICERS AND ARMED SOLDIERS WHO ENGAGED IN THE BRUTAL MASSACRE OF 347 CITIZENS IN ZARIA, KADUNA STATE FROM DECEMBER 12-14, 2015

We are solicitors to the Islamic Movement in Nigeria headed by Sheik Ibraheem Zakzaky who has been detained without trial for about 8 months by the State Security Service in Abuja.

In your interview published in Thisday Newspaper of May 17, 2016 you spoke on the violent attack unleashed on the members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria by the Nigerian Army last December. In particular, you said that "... our response was swift which was shown by the numerous arrests made."

Having limited the "numerous arrests" to the surviving victims of the violent attack who have since been charged with conspiracy and culpable homicide we hereby request you to use your good offices to ensure that the criminal elements who killed 347 unarmed civilians including women and children and buried their dead bodies are arrested and arraigned in court without any further delay. To facilitate the prosecution we wish to furnish you with the following facts:

(1) In exercise of their fundamental rights of freedom of assembly and expression the members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) staged a peaceful rally in Zaria, Kaduna state on July 25, 2014 in solidarity with the Palestinian people. In spite of the peaceful nature of the solidarity rally a band of armed soldiers opened fire on the protesters. Out of the 34 people who were killed in the unprovoked attack 3 were sons of Sheik Zakzaky.

(2) The Federal Government was embarrassed by the unlawful killing of the 34 members of the IMN by the army. In the circumstances, the National Human Rights Commission expressed condolence and tendered a public apology to the bereaved families on behalf of the federal government. But despite the official apology, the Kaduna state government did not prosecute the suspects who perpetrated the unlawful killing. At the material time, Mr. Nasir El Rufai publicly condemned the brutal killing and paid a condolence visit to the IMN leader in his residence.

(3) On December 12, 2015, platoons of the Nigerian army unleashed mayhem on the members of the IMN on the ground that they had plotted to assassinate the Chief of Army Staff, General Tukur Buratai Staff. The spurious allegation was not reported to the Police. Equally not brought to the attention of the Police was the allegation that the IMN had blocked a road in Zaria which affected the convoy of the Chief of Army Staff.

(4) Instead of reporting the alleged infractions of the law to the Police, the Chief of Army Staff decided to take the law into his hands by commanding armed troops to open fire on the unarmed civilians in utter violation of sections 33 and 217 of the Constitution, Rules of Engagement for the Nigerian Military and the Geneva Convention.

(5) The violent attack continued for two days. Though, the leader of the IMN was not present at the praying ground, the army invaded his house on December 14, 2014. He and members of his family including his wife and children were shot at close range. During the unprovoked attack, 3 of his children were killed in his presence while grenades were hauled at his house which was subsequently set ablaze by the rampaging soldiers.

(6) On December 15, 2015, 347 people who were killed in the attack were secretly buried in a mass grave in Mando, Kaduna state by the army with the connivance of the Kaduna state government. Before the mass burial, the Kaduna state government did not deem it fit to conduct any autopsy or DNA tests on the bodies.

(7) On the 23rd of December, 2015 officials of the Kaduna State Urban Protection Development Authority (KASUPDA) under the supervision of military authorities demolished the following properties of the IMN: graves of deceased members of the sect at Darur Rahma cemetery, situate 10 miles outside of Zaria; the movement’s newly acquired property adjacent to the Husainiya, a former NTC building; the Fudiyya Islamic Centre; and the family house of Zakzaky at Jushi quarters of Tudunwada ward where his mother was interned.

( On January 29, 2016, Governor El Rufai proceeded to set up a judicial commission of inquiry to investigate the crisis and make recommendations to the government. The members of the commission were drawn from the army, the police, the State Security Service and some individuals including those who had, through public statements and writings, called for the proscription of the IMN.

(9) Although, section 36 (1) of the Constitution stipulates that a court or tribunal shall be constituted in a manner that its independence and impartiality shall be guaranteed, the Kaduna state government ignored the demand of the human rights community that the commission be reconstituted by removing the members who have always nursed animosity towards the IMN.

(10) Notwithstanding the fact that the commission had invited Sheik Zakzaky to testify on behalf of the IMN, he was prevented from doing so by the State Security Service which has held him in custody since December 14, 2015. Thus, the Commission was only permitted to take evidence from the aggressors and others who have axe to grind with the IMN.

(11) Upon realizing that its findings and recommendations might not enjoy credibility having not been allowed to observe the elementary rule of audi alteram partem, the commission made frantic efforts to persuade the legal team of the IMN to participate in the proceedings. We were unable to accede to the request of the commission since it was unable to direct the authorities to release our clients from custody to tell their own side of the story.

(12) Out of sheer contempt for the judicial commission, the Kaduna state Government has filed charges of conspiracy and culpable homicide against over 250 members of the IMN at the Kaduna state high court. The suspects who are alleged to have caused the death of one Corporal Yakubu Dankaduna during the military invasion are languishing in prison custody while awaiting the legal advice of the Kaduna state Director of Public Prosecution.

(13) Although the Secretary to the Kaduna State Government, Alhaji Lawal Balarabe Abbas has since confirmed the gruesome massacre of the 347 people by the army, you have refused to prosecute the criminal elements who perpetrated the crime and proceeded to bury their dead bodies in a mass grave in a country which loudly proclaims to operate under the rule of law.

In the light of the foregoing we have the instructions of our clients to request you to prosecute the members of the Nigerian Army who took the law into their hands by unleashing mayhem on unarmed civilians in Zaria, Kaduna state from December 12-14, 2015. Specifically, you are requested to charge the suspects with conspiracy, willful damage to property, arson and culpable homicide not later than July 31, 2016.

TAKE NOTICE if you fail to accede to our clients' demand we shall not hesitate to apply to the High Court of Kaduna State for an order of mandamus to compel you to discharge your constitutional duty by charging the indicted culprits to court in line with your oath of office to "do right to all manners of people according to law, without fear or favour, affection or ill-will..."

Yours Sincerely,


Femi Falana Esq, SAN, FCI Arb.

Re:Conduct Bureau: Buratai Declared $1.5m Mansions In Wife’s Name

On June 29th, 2016 Mr. Ugochukwu Osuagwu of St. Francis Xavier Solicitors and Advocates in Abuja wrote to the Nigerian Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) requesting information on the Dubai properties of the Nigerian army Chief Lt Gen Tukur Buratai in “pursuant to Section 1 and 4 of the Freedom of Information Act 2011".

The letter said: “We request that the CCB, pursuant to the FOI Act 2011, avail us the following concerning the declarations of Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai.

“For the purpose of clarity sir, we request you as follows: (1) Confirm if Gen.Tukur Yusuf Buratai declared his asset with you upon his appointment on July 13, 2015, as Chief of Army Staff; (2) Whether the above property he bought with his wife was also declared with the CCB.
“Kindly avail us a reply within the time allowed under the Freedom of Information Act 2011 as much as you can sir.”

The CCB replied to the above request in a July 11th, 2016 letter by Mrs. Ijeanuli Arinze Ofor to Mr. Ugochukwu Osuagwu of St. Francis Xavier Solicitors and Advocates in Abuja. The CCB said:

“We refer to your mail dated Jun 29, 2016. We wish to state here that Gen. Tukar Yusuf Buratai, after his appointment as the Chief of Army Staff, declared his assets as required by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“He was served the Form CCB-I on July 21, 2015, and returned same on August 21, 2015.
“We also wish to confirm that his property at Dubai was declared in the wife’s name. Please, accept the warmest regards of the chairman.”

On July 13, 2015, Nigerian President Buhari appointed Gen. Buratai as Chief of Army Staff. Nigerian newspapers and websites are awash with the report that Gen. Buratai and his two wives in 2013 paid 1,498,534.00 AED (N120 million/ $419,000) for a Dubai property, Project TFG Marina Hotel, Unit 2711. Sale documents indicated that the property was handed over to the Buratais on January 13, 2013, prior to his appointment as the Chief of Army Staff. Buratai also paid for a second Dubai property in mid 2015 and the second property was handed over to him after his appointment as Nigerian army Chief.

The information given by the Code of Conduct Bureau and that of the Nigerian army spokesman in defense of Buratai are contradictory. The CCB stated that the Dubai properties were declared by Buratai in the name of his wife and that is implying that his wife is the owner of the Dubai properties. While the Nigerian army spokesman declared that the properties belonged to Buratai who bought them from "personal savings" and that prompted Nigerian activists to declare Buratai as the "greatest Saver and financial manager of all time!". An activist even suggested to President Buhari to appoint Tukur Buratai as the "Minister of finance" so that he can prudently manage our country's resources.

Prominent Nigerians and activists are calling on President Buhari and the Nigerian anti-corruption bodies to commence the investigation of the Nigerian army chief as to the true source of his wealth that was used to buy choice properties in Nigerian and Dubai. A very important question after this disclosure by CCB is that What is the occupation of Buratai's wife that will warrant her to afford $1.5 million to buy choice properties in Dubai?

The embattled Nigerian army Chief have not been silent as he has been sponsoring articles and write-ups not only to defend him but to cast doubts on the patriotic stands and good intentions of his critics. He called then all sorts of derogatory names such as "BokoHaram sponsors", "enemies of Nigeria", "enemies of progress", "Iranian-sponsored" and the most recent name-calling is by the fictitious Anthony Bankole who called those prominent Nigerians who are rightly calling for probe of Buratai as "forces of evil and darkness". It is important to note that while this said Anthony Kolawole claimed to be a lecturer with the Nassarawa State University, there is no lecturer bearing that name in Nassarawa State university!

On a final note, the BurataiGate is a litmus test of the anti-corruption war of the Buhari administration. It is impossible to convince Nigerians and the world that the anti-corruption war is holistic while there are sacred cows like Buratai that are untouchable.

Harun Elbinawi
elbinawi@yahoo.com
Elbinawi.

Wahhabism-biggest tool of Western imperialism in the Islamic world

While Sunni & Shia share 95% of their Figh in common according to the Sunnis Azhar scholar Dr. Ahmed Karimeh, #Wahhabi/Takfeeri muftis call the Shia as "Infidel" that their blood is allowed to be shed!

They never talk about Israeli/Zionist blood who are daily killing Palestinian Muslims and Christians and destroying their homes and occupying their country. So Western countries have no problem with #Wahhabism as along as their targets is killing Muslims, destroying Muslim countries and causing sedition and hate among Muslims.

Wahhabism is the biggest and most effecting tool of Western imperialist agenda in the Islamic world. Last December in #Nigerian army slaughtered 1000+ defenseless and unarmed Shia Muslims in Zaria and dumped their dead bodies in mass grave. The savage Saudi King Salman immediately called the wicked, evil and bloodthirsty Nigerian #TyrantBuhari and "thanked" him for a job well done!

I'm Muslim, I'm against Wahhabism
@Elbinawi

Sheikh Zakzaky vs SSS, Police, Attorney General: hearing further adjourned

By Abdulmumin Giwa

The case between Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky and the State Security Service SSS, Nigerian Police and the Attorney General of Federation slated for hearing today at the Federal High Court in Abuja has further been shifted to 20th of Septembers 2016 by the court.

Addressing the court, the Court 6 judge, Justice Kolwale said the that he fixed today for hearing in the case base on an earlier assumption that the end of legal year vacation will commence on the 15th of July but was later changed to 11th of July.

Counsel to Sheikh Zakzaky headed by Femi Falana SAN asked for a date to be fixed for hearing within the vacation period to which the Judge declined saying he could only fix a date with the consent of both parties in the case and the defense counsel is absent.

Responding to questions from newsmen after the session Falana stated that there is no such thing as out of court settlement and called for the immediate and unconditional release of his client.

He stated that his client was attacked by the Army in his residence, killed three of his sons, shot him and his wife severally, burned down his house and took him away asking what is there to be settled.

A similar procedure was adopted for the case of the wife of the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria IMN, Malama Zeenat Ibrahim versus the same defendants for which the same date was fixed for hearing.

Tweets on the Nigerian regime dragging feet on the case instituted by Sheikh Zakzaky:

1. The Court case instituted by Sheikh #Zakzaky to enforce his fundamental #HumanRights had postponed hearing to 20th Sept, 2016. @amnesty @hrw

2. @amnesty @hrw The court session was forced to adjourn hearing due to the Judicial holidays that was back dated to start on 12/07/2016.

3. @amnesty @hrw The presiding Judge said he would have gone on with the hearing if that the legal counsel of the Nigerian regime have turn up.

4. @amnesty @hrw The legal counsel of the Nigerian regime refused to attend the court session today forcing the Judge to adjourn the case.

5. @amnesty @hrw This is another ploy to unlawfully extend d illegal & wicked detention of Sheikh #Zakzaky by d oppressive & tyrannical regime.

#FreeZakzaky
#GodProtectZakzaky
@Elbinawi

Who Is Gen Tukur Buratai also known as "The Butcher of Zaria"?

Gen #Buratai is a war criminal that murdered more than 1000+ defenseless and unarmed Nigerians in Zaria last December & dumped their dead bodies in mass graves. Please check the comprehensive report of the massacre by the London-based human rights body Amnesty International for details.

Buratai is also a corrupt #BokoHaram facilitator who stole funds meant for fight against BokoHaram insurgence and bought choice properties in Nigeria and Dubai.

Buratai has the blood of thousands of innocent Nigerians on his hands from the BokoHaram insurgency and #ZariaMassace

#BurataiGate
@Elbinawi

EID MESSAGE:IMN URGES THOSE IN AUTHORITY TO ESCHEW ABUSE OF OFFICE

The Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) under the leadership of Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky wishes to congratulate Nigerians, especially the the Muslim Ummah on the successful completion of this year's Eid el-Fitr celebrations peacefully.

We call on the Muslims to imbibe the lessons taught by the 30 day Ramadan fasting namely love for fellow humans, perseverance, spiritual worships and piety. We hope these lofty virtues will subsist beyond Ramadan.

We should also uphold the virtues of good neighborliness and eschew intolerance of other peoples opinion, in our day to day dealings with fellow countrymen.

However to those in positions of authority they should keep the trust entrusted on them and avoid abuse of power and disregard for due process in carrying out their assignments.

On this happy occasion, we would like to emphasize that Islam means total and unconditional submission to the will of Allah,  of which peaceful coexistence with our neighbors is among. The Muslim ummah should strive to rid itself of the shroud of violence, its enemies try to associate Islam with by all means.

We commend the press, international human rights activists and organisations that have stood by us in our quest for justice to the 1000+ victims of Nigerian Army's attack on members of the Islamic Movement in Zaria December last year. We are really grateful to you, and hope you will still be with us the struggles continue.

Let us also use this opportunity to reaffirm our resolve to use all available legitimate and peaceful means of expressing our grievances, even though we have seen many intelligence reports trying to stage false flag attacks and blame it on the Islamic Movement in Nigeria.

We call on all Nigerians irrespective of religious divide that we should remain steadfast and prayerful that may Allah intervene so that justice will not only be done, but seen to be done in the case of the genocide perpetrated by the Nigerian Army against armless civilians in Zaria, for we are aware that no justice, no peace for any society.

As we look forward to the forthcoming months, we still demand for the unconditional release of Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky and all other members of the Islamic Movement in detention.

SIGNED BY
IBRAHIM MUSA
PRESIDENT MEDIA FORUM OF IMN
08050786093
11/07/16

Re-Zaria and the Shi’ites without El-Zakzaky (Part 2)
By Abdulmumin Giwa
Response to calumny:
In the second part of this rejoinder, I am going to respond to issues Abdulgafar Alabelewe had raised in his write-up having subjected the writing of the write-up itself to a moral test in the first part of the rejoinder.
Firstly, I will start by correcting the wrong impression given by Abdulgafar that the leader of the Movement was lured into the movement by Iran during his University days. Please go and check your records well. The Islamic Revolution in Iran took place in 1979 after Sheikh Zakzaky had graduated from the university in the same year. But while in the university he was known for Islamic activism and was even the Secretary-General of the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria, MSSN. The revered leader even without Iran was already calling for the establishment of fairness and justice to all through Islam.
The Islamic Revolution in Iran only complemented what he was doing by proving that it was practicable and not just theory. The Islamic Revolution in Iran encouraged a lot of other freedom seeking groups that it is possible to achieve their goals like SWAPO and ANC in particular.
Furthermore, the Islamic Movement in Nigeria is not sponsored by Iran. Neither you the writer nor the Nigerian government has any evidence whatsoever that Iran is sponsoring the IMN and I challenge you to show it to the world if you have any. How much would you be paid to risk being murdered by your own government? This is a very stupid claim!
Despite the number of sponsored people and groups that presented memos and were publicly examined by the JCI in Kaduna no one was able to produce any evidence that the Movement is sponsored by Iran. Where did you get your own claim from?
Hence, identifying with Iran is simply in the ideology which if Iran turns away from, the movement will equally turn away from Iran. So what if Shi’ites identify with Iran because they are Shi’ites? Don’t the Wahhabis identify with Saudi Arabia? Don’t the Tarikas identify with Morocco and Tunisia? Don’t the Catholics identify with Rome? Don’t the Anglicans identify with England? Don’t the Jews identify with Israel?
Keep religion aside people identify with their values, ideas and practices and their heroes as well that are outside Nigeria whether in sports, politics, business and every other aspect of life. Why the mischief of trumpeting that the Shi’ites identify with Iran? So what if IMN identifies with Iran what is wrong with Iran and who is afraid of Iran?
A major principle of the leader of the Movement that has kept the Movement alive is the fact that every member must be ready to sacrifice his life and his wealth for the course. It is not an issue of money-making it is a struggle in which you involve your wealth while your life is also at risk. It is his policy that people shun individualism and greed and always think in terms of the general interest of all. Hence, everything in the Movement is financed by its members through contributions just the way you claimed to have noticed in the absence of the leader in your write-up.
Let me tell you what Iran is to me personally. It is an example of a country that has successfully freed itself through a revolution from the exploitation and oppression by the global imperialism. It is a country that has resisted sanctions and imposed war for over thirty years of its existence. It miraculously under mega economic sanctions developed into a superpower to be reckoned with in its region.
Iran is a country that has developed in the fields of science and technology into becoming a major global nuclear power to be reckoned with all under sanctions for years. It is an oil rich country and OPEC member that does not rely on its oil for survival. Nigeria has more to benefit from Iran than the European and American exploiters who squeeze everything out of us to build their countries. I still leave you to find the answer for me, who is afraid of Iran and why?
Secondly, Sani Yakubu is not in a good position to speak on the IMN at least to a responsible and fair journalist. He is just turned into a joker of the mischief makers and perpetrators of the Zaria massacre. This is a man that declared publicly that Sheikh Zakzaky was not his brother because he is Shi’ite and that Shi’ites and Christians are all infidels. This is his level of insanity.
Sani is one of the ardent anti-Shi’ite Wahhabi extremist who see every other person as an infidel except he follows their way. His personal reason for speaking against Sheikh Zakzaky, beyond religion and faith, is that they shared the same father and not the same mother and so, they did not belong to the same room, that contest and envy the Zaria people refer to as ‘yan’ubanci’ reigns higher in him. To him those from other rooms/mothers must not achieve more than them in life. This is how morally low he is.
In their maiden press conference after the Zaria attack, the Nigerian Army used Sani Yakubu as their joker putting him on the high table and treating him as a special guest with the Army spokesman even specially announcing his presence in the midst of the hungry ‘Arabic speaking idiots’ they gathered. They sponsored him to show support for their attack on Sheikh Zakzaky in order to douse tension and convince the public that their dirty work was in order. He was everywhere in the headlines blackmailing Sheikh Zakzaky. I heard a journalist describing him as the most stupid brother of the year.
Sheikh Zakzaky had other brothers and sisters but were not contacted or quoted because they spoke against the Army inhumanity. In fact if Sheikh Zakzaky was a bad man as you are trying to depict, why did his elder sister Goggo Fatima sacrificed her life defending him that she was even burned alive by the Nigerian Army in the residence of Sheikh Zakzaky during the December attack?
Why didn’t you talk about his nephew Shamsu the son of his brother Abdulqadir that was also brutally killed by the Army when he stood by the door blocking the Army from reaching Sheikh Zakzaky? Why don’t they quote Sheikh Abdulqadir whose son was murdered by the Army? Why don’t they quote Malam Badamasi who has been an ardent follower of the Sheikh? I know why, is because of mischief and calumny against Sheikh Ibraheen Zakzaky and not because of journalism and professionalism.
I know journalists in Kaduna that attended the Army press conference at 1 Division in Kaduna after the Zaria massacre who Sani Yakubu begged not to report what he said because he was made to say it and is shameful. Therefore he lacks both morality and integrity to speak on Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky and the IMN and lacks any genuineness as a source of reference when speaking about Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzkay. In like manner everything you have quoted from him lack substance because they have failed the litmus test.
Thirdly, you raised the issue of road blockage and even relating it to civil disobedience and also thinking that you are doing journalism. What a shame. Did President Muhammadu Buhari not block roads when he was campaigning to become Nigeria’s President? Why were he and all APC members not killed by the Army? Everybody blocks road in this country when the need for such arises. Even the church to which the Vice President Yemi Osimbajo belongs blocks one of the most busiest roads in West Africa, the Lagos Ibadan Express way for over three days several times every year and the church members have not been killed by the Nigerian Army. In several occasions even the Army is affected by the blockage but they never killed them because they are not Shi’ites I believe.
Emirs block roads in the north during their Durbar every Sallah and even harass those who insist on using the roads. Mosques and Churches block roads on Fridays and Saturdays respectively. During festivals like yam festivals and carnivals roads are blocked and all these happen during the year and their adherents are not murdered by Nigerian Army. Why the IMN?
I am not surprised that you bring up this issue because it says who you are writing for because it was one of the five changed reasons for the mass murder tendered by the Nigerian Army.
The IMN does not in any way constitute any nuisance to the public because it is so organized in its activities and has the best records of crowd management in Africa.
You falsely describe the IMN as an extremist group without any justification when you the writer have been part of events the movement had conducted along with non-Shi’ite Muslims and Christians alike. The IMN has been condemned by the majority Wahabbi Muslims for building bridges with Christian communities and joining them in their celebrations. I wonder where you have seen a religious extremist opening up to that extent and declaring every human being his brother either in faith or in humanity. IMN is the only Islamic group in the entire country that has a Christian Forum and has as part of its annual programs a Unity Week for Muslims.
Definitely if you are looking for extremists look for them elsewhere and not in the Islamic Movement in Nigeria.
Fourthly, the other point you brought was the one fabricated by the Kaduna state government to justify its role in the attack. This is the issue of Gyallesu residents rejoicing the absence of Sheikh Zakzaky. The Kaduna state government sponsored some individuals in the media in the name of some inexistent groups to blackmail the IMN in order to justify the Army genocide.
The Kaduna state Governor Nasir El-Rufai himself even before announcing the establishment of his Judicial Commission of Inquiry indicted the Movement publicly accusing it of a lot of things he could not prove. It was in the process that those Gyallesu individuals were employed to smear the IMN and its leader. Most of those involved in the deal are Wahhabis who see the IMN as their enemy and the Army as fighting a Jihad for them by killing Shi’ites.
Not for that, no body is rejoicing the absence of the Sheikh in Gyallesu. It was clear when Sheikh Zakzaky gave the Ramadan food items to the needy during the recently concluded Ramadan as he had done annually, the people received it and were happy and praying that the government of tyrant releases him.
It was just a day into the process that the same thugs and drug addicts that were used by the Army to scavenge dead corpses of IMN members were hired by the state government through the same Wahhabi clerics to go and attack those that collected the food and seize and it from them lest they support Sheikh Zakzaky.
I can clearly recall the incident of 2011 when General Buhari lost in the elections and his supporters went wild killing and burning properties of non-indigenes of Zaria mostly Christians presumed to be supporting the PDP. It was the residence of Sheikh Zakzaky that became the safety abode for them and were protected and looked after until the crises subsided. A lot of residents in Gyallesu relied on the IMN medical services for their health support. The entire Gyallesu is set free of rape and activities of the under-world with the presence of the Sheikh in the community. Most of the victims of such activities of the under-world were students from the Congo campus of ABU and Federal College of Education and a lot of such students have testimonies to tell.
The absence of Sheikh Zakzaky is more like hell to the people of Zaria in general who make a lot of money from the millions of Sheikh Zakzaky’s followers that visit the town during various activities of the IMN. These include hotels, restaurants, shop owners and transporters who make more than what they make in three months in just one day of a major IMN event. A lot of them are now complaining and some have even closed down their businesses. I say is like hell because of the current hardship instituted on the Nigerian people by the government in addition to the absence of Sheikh Zakzaky.
Definitely it is vague statement for any right thinking person to say that people are rejoicing the absence of Sheikh Zakzaky in Zaria, no, they are regretting his absence and wishing he comes back to them. It is only the government propagandists that make their own money by lying to the public about the reality on ground that are rejoicing while the verse population is left to suffer.
Lastly, the fifth point you raised is the same point the security apparatus blackmailing the leader of the IMN and the movement are mischievously spreading on the social media. You gave a false picture of a rift within the movement claiming that there is fictionalization of the movement. The Movement is still what it is and has its network of information and activities as well as leadership chain that all the members still recognize and respect even in the absence of the revered Sheikh. You should know that it is a lie because a factionalized organization can never achieved what the movement had achieved since the Zaria pogrom by putting its opponents on the defensive.
The movement since inception has been a peaceful, non-violent and unarmed movement. It is those in authority that have submitted themselves to the control of some foreign powers that allow themselves to be used in attacking the movement thereby helping them fight a proxy war against Iran and we all know who the arch-enemies of Iran are.
There is never and will never be a time that the movement will ever attack or intimidate anybody anywhere. It is always the securities that have attacked the movement at will and then use the media to claim that there was a ‘clash between the Army and the Shi’ites’.
Even in 2014 when the Army attacked the and killed 34 members of the Movement including three biological sons of the leader, two of whom were taken alive by Colonel Okuh and tortured to death. The attack was after the Pro-Palestinian rally when people were returning to their various destinations and not during the demonstration, whose road was blocked then? The Nigerian Army came shooting and killing innocent people going about their businesses just like that.
I remember the case of an Igbo businessman, Mr Julius Anyanwu who saw no reason why the soldiers should be killing innocent people and confronted them at PZ round about in Zaria on that fateful day asking them to stop the killing and they killed him at close range.
The Army was even selective during the killing looking for the children of Sheikh Zakzaky in particular and whisked them away where they tortured them to death. Ali who survived the tortured revealed what happened but was murdered by the same Nigerian Army along with two of his siblings during the December 2015 attack.
The Pro-Palestinian demonstration of 2016 otherwise called International Quds Day you claimed was peaceful because the IMN now are law abiding was peaceful not because anything had changed from what and how it used to be as you mischievously depicted. It was peaceful because the government did not decide to attack the demonstration.
If the government had attacked it the news would be different. It was the same assembly, the same people on the same Nigerian roads demonstrating with the same and even greater spirit than before. So what has changed? Ask the journalists that were there because you were not there.
It was not all that rosy anyway because in Sokoto the Nigerian Police kidnapped four young boys after the Pro-Palestinian demonstration and addressed a press conference claiming that they have arrested Shi’ites with dangerous weapons. Thanks to the timely intervention of our lawyers and they were released on bail.
Have you ever stopped for minute to ask yourself why anyone would attack a pro-Palestinian rally or demonstration? In whose interest is he attacking it? That would tell you who he is working for.
Finally, you quoted something I posted on facebook and claimed that it was a circular proving that there was faction in the movement. It was simply a post on my wall on facebook which I know the security and perpetrators of the Zaria massacre are not happy about.
They are only trying to create ways to blackmail the IMN by using some security agents to pose as Shi’ites. Those people have never been with and are never part of the IMN. Their job is to spread calumny against the leader of the IMN in particular and propagate that he is not Shi’ite and that Shi’ism instructs one to be obedient to oppressive authority.
They abuse and insult Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky and promote and eulogize President Buhari and General Buratai for killing IMN members. Do you need to be told who they are working for as a member of IMN o even as an objective onlooker?
Their intention is to create an artificial tension between the IMN and those claiming they are Shi’ites so that the security would go and eliminate one of them and then point accusing fingers at the IMN. They have done it to us in Sokoto using one cleric called Danmaishiyya and have tried and failed in Zaria using another cleric called Albani. I wrote that post and even commented on some posts to draw the attention of IMN members not to fall victims to that plot. As part of the IMN peace mechanism we thought keeping silent to all their activities is the best.
This rejoinder will not be complete if I fail to thank members of the Movement for a job well done. They have exhibited the best of loyalty to the revered leader by not reacting negatively despite the pressure and intimidation by the government. Their intention was for the IMN to go wild so that they have a reason to not only clampdown on the Movement but also wipe it out and outlaw it. This they have failed, thanks to the peaceful and focused steps of seeking redress taken by the movement. It is now clear to the world who the extremists, intimidators, oppressors and tyrants really are.
It is our pride that in obedience to his Eminence Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky we have refused to allow ourselves to be used in shedding the blood of innocent people. You can continue to kill us and we will continue to use the same weapon of peace to fight back until we attend your own funeral and achieve true freedom and emancipation.

Re:Zaria and the Shi'ites without El-Zakzaky (Part 1)

By Abdulmumin Giwa

“This Movement was not built to this level through abuses or compulsion or acts of brigandage, it can therefore not be defeated through such methods. It was built in divine wisdom, knowledge, conviction and good counsel. As a result, in over the 37 years of its existence people have come to accept it. If anyone has a better argument, he should present it to the people and let them choose.” -Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky (H)
Preamble:
I am writing this rejoinder in two parts in which this part will subject writing to please the perpetrators of the Zaria massacre to a moral test. It will expose the immorality of writing in defense of murderers and extra-judicial killers.
My attention was drawn by a fellow brother to the above titled article in page 9 of the Nation newspaper of Sunday 10th July 2016 written by Abdulgafar Alabelewe, asking me to go through it because the content is deceiving.
I noticed the piece to be a soft attack on the Islamic Movement in Nigeria IMN and its leadership in what the IMN had since observed as a new trend by the perpetrators of the Zaria massacre. They are highly disturbed by their inhuman acts and crime against humanity which had destroyed the poor remnants of human rights records of the regime and it’s Army across the globe. Hence, they are engaging in sponsoring all sorts of campaigns of calumny against the IMN and its leader in particular. They are doing this both on social media and the pages of newspapers.
I personally expected that as a trained journalist, Abdulgafar would not busy himself writing an article without any substance but calumny and imbalance. I expected him to be more intellectually ordained to raise issues of national interest where the Nigerian government has shot a leader of a group in the country, burned his followers alive, demolished his house, worship places and cemetery, buried 347 of his followers in a mass grave in the middle of the night and abducted the leader for over seven months without any court charges. Professional and not hungry journalists should be pressing the government to present him before a court of law for justice to take its course; they should be pressing the government to check the excesses of the Army who kill people at will.
A blatant abuse of the Nigerian constitution with impunity and total disregard to law and order is the best way to describe what the Nigerian regime had done if it is not referred to as state terrorism.
I thought Abdulgafar was smart enough to question why the Nigerian government is yet to bring up those charges before a court of law after the President himself had declared in public that the leader of the Movement was running a government in a government. What is the government waiting for, why wouldn’t it take him to court if it has such evidence?
Also there isn’t any need for smartness in questioning the government about the outcome of the Judicial Commission of Enquiry, JCI sponsored by the Kaduna State government, another stakeholder of Zaria massacre. Why is the government silent about it?
I expected that as a journalist, Abdulgafar would be inquisitive enough to ask why the Nigerian government after hiding Sheikh Zakzaky away from his legal counsel is coming on the defensive before a court of law to tell the world that it is protecting him with his own consent. This is after earlier announcing to the world reasons it had changed five times why it attacked him one of which is attempting to assassinate the Chief of Army Staff.
What is even more is that Abdulgafar is pretending not to know that the Army had messed itself up in that genocidal attack on Nigerian citizens simply because they are a minority religious group despised by their Commander-in-Chief.
Let me remind Abdulgafar here that after committing what could best be described as an act of state terrorism where innocent unarmed citizens were attacked and terrorized using state machinery, the government is busy trying to justify its actions by all means including sponsoring fake groups and writers to convince the world that the Nigerian Army has the right to kill anybody at will. Therefore murdering the Shi’ites is not a big deal.
I would never want to believe that the Abdulgafar I know is joining these deluded money hungry fools to compromise his pen and integrity, and be feeding his family with “blood money”. For indeed whatever anybody is paid to support the Zaria murderers in whatever way is what we in Nigeria call “blood money”. It is not any different from killing human beings in rituals to make money.
Lest anyone gets deluded by the money they give him, he should remember that in that attack, not less than 1000 innocent unarmed people including men, women and many children were mercilessly killed extra-judicially by the Nigerian Army.
The Army entered Gyallesu chanting anti-Shi’ite slogans and shooting unarmed women and children for crime of being Shi’ites. My own wife and child narrowly escaped the attacked but most of her friends and classmates there were murdered by the Army. They were just there for their two weeks quarterly classes in Islamic jurisprudence. A lot of families were entirely wiped out, hundreds of women and thousands of children were turned into widows and orphans within 48 hour of incessant killings and bombings on the 12th to 14th of December 2016 by the Nigerian regime.
It was even more than just killing, it was a terror laden operation in which the Army molested women and stabbed them with sharp objects on their private parts and with bayonets on their breasts and there were even reported cases of rape. The same Army also burned members of the IMN alive including an elder sister of the leader of the Movement Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky.
After all these crimes the Army cordoned off the entire places and washed off the blood, picked up all bullets and bomb shell, demolished buildings and packed away the rubbles, took away hundreds of corpses and buried them in mass graves at night, all with the intention of hiding the crime. Why would the government want to hide what it did if it was in the interest of the state?
Despite all these the COAS went to tell the Nigerian Human Rights Commission that he killed only seven people that blocked his way. This is stupid and sarcastic as if those he killed were rats or ants. Why is he hiding the truth if what he commandeered was right?
This even made reputable international human rights organizations like the Amnesty International and the Human Rights Watch to condemn the Nigerian Government for crimes against humanity asking the government to come clean and even releasing satellite pictures of mass graves. In fact the Islamic Human Rights Commission of London ventured into taking the matter before the International Criminal Court, ICC which has since started its investigations.
To add salt to injury, the Army in a display of inhumanity and animal behavior even gathered thugs and drug addicts to steal personal belongings from the heap of corpses of IMN members they have gathered. This says a lot about the state of the nation and the failure of the government that people are so poverty stricken that they are close to becoming cannibals.
There are pictures and videos of all these atrocities and they have gone viral on social media and the world is witnessing to the extent that the Nigerian President encountered protesters condemning him when he visited London. There were protest marches condemning the Nigerian government in many countries around the world including the UK, US, Canada, India and others. Yet in your position as a journalist your eyes are blocked from seeing the truth in just the same way as the ears of the Nigerian government are blocked from hearing the calls being made by people of conscience from across the globe.
This is just a very brief picture of what one is supporting anytime he writes anything whatsoever to please the perpetrators of the Zaria massacre. How inhuman.
No right thinking journalist with integrity and professionalism would lend his pen to inhumanity, I would not do that because my pen is not for sale. My pen is for dignity and humanity just as it is for fairness and justice to all irrespective of tribe, race and religion.
We know that injustice, tyranny, inhumanity and oppression are all anti-human values that only people of integrity and moral uprightness speak against. To us in the IMN, it is even a religious duty because our master Imam Ali AS tells us that every human being is either your brother in humanity or your brother in faith. Therefore, faith aside the Shi’ites are indeed your brothers in humanity that have been oppressed by the Nigerian leader and his Army. It is then your moral duty to speak against it.

When Saudi regime is allied with Iranian terrorists:

When you see a powerful Saudi Prince who was its former intelligence Chief with Western- backed Iranian terrorists in Paris, France, calling for "Free Iran" then you must realised that the frustration of the savage Wahhabi rulers of Saudi Arabia has reached its peak.

The Saudi Wahhabi regime is frustrated because its agenda in Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Nigeria have all failed and are crumbling before its eyes.

In Syria even its European allies are extending the hands of reproachment with the Syrian government of President Assad.

In Iraq the Saudi-backed ISIS is on its last breath as the Iraqi army and the Iraqi resistance fighters are decimating the murderous thugs.

In Yemen the Ansarullah are making fresh gains after the collapse of the peace talks due to Saudi intransigence and some Saudi allies have recently defected to the freedom fighters.

In Nigeria, after the Saudi engineered the brutal massacre of 1000+ defenseless and unarmed IMN members last December the IMN remained stronger and focus more than ever. In the recent International Quds Day rallies, millions of IMN members flooded major Nigerian cities in peaceful processions that the influential New York times reported that more than one million participated in the rally in Zaria alone!

This manifestation of Saudi desperation is a sign for the eventual dismantling of that savage Wahhabi regime that is the main sponsor of murderous Wahhabi terrorism in the world.
@Elbinawi

Re:Fight against terror: Troops recapture 26 out of 29 LGs

The above-named report on the #BokoHaram insurgency appeared on the Daily Trust Newspaper of Sunday (10/07/2016) and Nigerians especially social media activists were shocked to learn that the murderous BokoHaram thugs are still holding at least three (3) Local Government Areas of Borno state despite the declaration of the Nigerian President Buhari that all Nigerian territories had been liberated from BokoHaram. Various reactions of shock and disappointment appeared on various social media platforms that can be captured by the comment of Aliyu Smith Almusawi, a rising blogger and public affairs commentator when he said:

"The shocking revelations by today's Daily Trust that Boko Haram are still holding onto a vast stretch of lands in the Northeast, have brought to lights how clueless, and deceptive Buhari and his blood-sucking sidekick, Burutai are. They continue to deceive gullible Nigerians that Boko Haram do not control any inch of the Nigerian soil, but the military success has not put an end to the humanitarian crises in the region. Hundreds of children are dying every week of starvation, but the tyrant ruler is busy flattering his blind followers with motley of fables and phantom achievements. What a travesty of good governance."

Two months ago Nigerian Buhari had told the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki Moon, that the Boko Haram terrorist group was no longer “holding any territory as we speak”. Mr. Buhari, who was speaking on the sidelines of the World Future Energy Summit in the UAE, said Nigerian Armed Forces in collaboration with the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNTJF) had driven the terrorist group from Nigerian territory into “fall-back positions”.

The first person to counter this flawed claims by the Nigerian President Buhari was the commander of the U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM), David Rodriguez, who declared to the U.S. Senate that Boko Haram is still holding territory in Northern Nigeria. General Rodriguez’s claim challenges Nigeria’s official
position on the seven-year old insurgency that has so far claimed more than 30,000 lives and displaced 2.5 million people.

Mr. Rodriguez spoke in response to a question during testimony before the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee reviewing fiscal year 2017 defence budget. His comment about Boko Haram was in response to a question by Senator Angus King of Maine who asked about Al-Shabaab and Boko Haram more than ninety minutes into the testimony. Mr. Angus’ direct question to General Rodriguez was: “Is Al-Shabaab and Boko Haram growing, are they adding members? I know they don’t hold territory, are they adding areas of influence?” to which Mr. Rodriguez replied, “actually sir, Boko Haram does hold some significant territory in Northern Nigeria as do Al-Shabaab in limited areas of Somalia”.

From the Daily Trust report BokoHaram still have absolute control over at least three (3) LGA in Borno state and a large chunk of the Sambisa forest. The LGAs are Marte, Kala Balge and Damasak. Boko Haram also have peripheral control over some LGAs where they launch deadly attacks against those defenseless communities. BokoHaram is also holding on to an important facility which is a harbour that is at the heart of the Sambisa forest. The harbour was constructed by the military government of Gen Babangida in the 1980s to serve as a training and logistics base for the defunct National Guards.
“The harbour is very big and has some buildings underground. Sadly, all the armaments stocked there were not evacuated up till the time the Boko Haram took over. We strongly believe that top commanders of the group and many high priced hostages are living there. " the Daily Trust report stated.

It is important to note that lack of sufficient military equipment and funds due to the recession in the Nigerian economy is hampering the fight against the BokoHaram insurgency as the Nigerian government is finding it difficult to acquire quality weapons and equipment especially from Western countries due to the poor human rights records of the Buhari administration. Some months back the influential US Newspaper "The New York Times" wrote an editorial against selling military equipment to the Nigerian government by the U.S. government due to the numerous massacres of the Nigerian army against defenseless and unarmed Nigerian civilians and the Newspaper cited the ZariaMassacre of more than 1000 Shia Muslims last December as a good example.

It is also important to note that President Buhari joined the fraudulent anti-Shia Saudi-led coalition to attract funds and weapons but to his disappointed the Saudi regime have not send anything as the Saudi regime is bugged down in Yemen where the Yemeni freedom fighters have sofar effectively frustrated the US-Saudi imperialist agenda in Yemen. The Saudi economy is also not in the best of times due to low Oil prices that the Saudi regime itself engineered to cripple the economies of Iran and Russia due to the Syrian conflict.

Nigeria should have gotten quality weapons from Iran and the Iranians had promised to help during Buhari's visit to that country during the Gas Summit that was held in Tehran but the Iranians were disappointed with the Nigerian leadership for massacring more than 1000 defenseless and unarmed Shia Muslims that included 100s of women and children and dumped their dead bodies in mass graves. Iran will never offer its weapons and equipment to a Wahhabi-contaminated regime that has ShiaGenocide as an agenda.

Sadly the Nigerian government and the Nigeria army have been bombarding Nigerians daily with imaginary victories against BokoHaram and most Nigerians were brainwashed with these daily propaganda into thinking that BokoHaram is no more holding any Nigerian territory. After the inhuman ZariaMassacre and the gross corruption against the Nigerian army Chief Buratai, the Nigerian army upped it propaganda of victories and rescue of thousands of Nigerians. I saw one of those headlines of victory that read "Army killed 7 terrorists, rescued 5000 Nigerian hostages". The first question that I asked was that how can 7 terrorists control 5000 hostages?

On a final note, the actions of the Niger Delta militants "The Niger Delta Avengers" have disrupted the flow of funds to fund the war against insurgency as their action have resulted in Nigeria Oil output been cut by half. President Buhari committed blunders by executing the Saudi-sponsored agenda in Nigeria when he should have concentrated in solving the numerous problems bedevilling the Nigerian state. His open biasness in appointments, bigotry, arrogance and high-headedness have contributed to the rise and growth of fresh militancy in the Niger Delta region. It is the hope of all well-meaning Nigerians that the murderous insurgency is defeated and peace and security return to the Northeast.

Harun Elbinawi
elbinawi@yahoo.com
Elbinawi.

Buratai:Buhari's anti-corruption war on trial

By Punch Editorial Board

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari’s fledgling war on corruption has reached a critical juncture. In a case that has generated outrage, the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, has been accused of buying two houses in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, at a cost of $1.5 million. Curiously, the Nigerian Army has admitted that Buratai, indeed, owns the assets, saying, however, that he bought them with his savings in 2013. This is a major credibility test for the President’s campaign against corruption.

It’s a fact of life that corruption has decimated the efficiency and capability of the Nigerian military. The ugly imprint of vice could be seen in the arms purchase scandal, initially said to be $2.1 billion, but later estimated at $15 billion by the Vice-President, Yemi Osinbajo. The money was meant to buy weapons to fight Boko Haram, but was allegedly diverted by senior military commanders and their civilian collaborators. Buhari should know that a corrupt military is highly unlikely to be able to defend the country from internal and external aggression. How will such a military hierarchy motivate the junior ranks?

The revelations from the Nigerian Air Force on how some former Chiefs of Air Staff embezzled funds left over from the funds released for personnel costs running into billions of naira require that our military commanders, starting with Buratai, be held to the highest probity standards. He must not be insulated from questioning. Like all other Nigerians answering questions before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the COAS must be subjected to the same thorough investigation.
Indeed, Buhari’s avowal to rid the country of graft will gain traction or falter by the way he handles this case as Buratai himself has not denied owning them. His defence that the revelation is a smear campaign by some groups that are not comfortable with the military’s successes against Boko Haram extremists in the North-East evades the issue. His defence does not add up. A military commander is defined by his actions and conduct on the battlefront and in public service.

But the Army says, “The allegations contained in the write-up are baseless and not correct. It is a fact that the Buratai family have two ‘properties’ in Dubai that were paid for by installments through personal savings three years ago. These, along with other personal assets have consistently been declared by (General) Buratai in his Assets Declaration Form as Commander, Multinational Joint Task Force, and as Chief of Army Staff.” This defence line appears weak and spurious. The underpinning question is how a serving public officer can have the financial means to acquire assets worth $1.5 million. What is his source of income? Buratai must provide answers to these posers.The onus is on him to prove that the assets were not acquired with the proceeds of corrupt enrichment; it is not the job of his so-called “adversaries” to prove that he has lived above board.

The military requires rigorous discipline and high ethical standards to perform optimally. Not even the fact that a commander is running a successful military campaign is enough for Buhari to overlook the allegations against Buratai. In the United States, several top officers have been sanctioned for violating its code of conduct for the military. David Petraeus, a general described as one of the best of his generation, having served in Iraq and Afghanistan, and as head of the Central Intelligence Agency, was fined for divulging classified information to Paula Broadwell, his biographer. He resigned in 2012.

Petraeus was not the only one. Another US general was fired for receiving gifts from foreigners; a former commander in the Africa Command, William Ward, was demoted for treating himself and his wife to a $750-a-night Caribbean hotel suite, and Michael Harrison (also a general), was demoted and removed from his post in Japan for not properly investigating a colonel accused of sexual assault. In 2014, Jeffrey Sinclair, then a brigadier-general, was demoted to a lieutenant-colonel after admitting to having an amorous affair with a subordinate. He was equally fined $20,000. A major-general who headed the US military’s counter-terrorism force in the Horn of Africa, Ralph Baker, was demoted to a brigadier-general in 2014 for drinking and groping a senior female official in his car. We assume that these cases are not as serious as buying two houses overseas for $1.5 million.
At the height of complaints against US military commanders, President Barack Obama warned, “We expect the nation’s senior military leaders to demonstrate the highest standards of ethical conduct.” This is the way to go for Buhari. The moral burden of the Buratai case is heavy on the President; he must discharge it appropriately, no matter the weight.

The late President Lee Kuan Yew cleaned up Singapore, once notorious for corruption, by moving against his ministers and close allies who flouted the rules. So far, Buhari has not lived up to expectation by not moving with the urgency the case requires. The allegations are enough for him to ask Buratai to be investigated, cleared or be made to face the music.

Buhari convincingly sang the anti-corruption mantra on his way to office: now that the campaign has entered a decisive phase, and against one of his trusted lieutenants, he should take action. The President should end his silence. We hold him to his declaration that he would not spare any corrupt official. We demand untrammelled accountability in governance, and reject the hasty clearance issued to Buratai by the Ministry of Defence and the Army.

This messy episode offers the Buhari administration a golden opportunity to institute lasting reforms in the Armed Forces on procurement, discipline, finances and accountability. There have been persistent allegations of commanders hawking government ammunition, purchasing sub-standard equipment and fleecing soldiers on the warfront of their allowances. The Nigerian military is in crisis because the top guns get away easily with violations. To regain their verve, the military must make every officer accountable.

More Details Emerge On Nigeria Chief Of Army Staff General Buratai’s Dubai Properties

An ongoing investigation by SaharaReporters into properties acquired in Dubai by Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Tukur Buratai, has revealed more details about the officer’s real estate acquisitions estimated at N160 million at the minimum. Our investigators found out that, when not occupied by General Buratai or members of his family, the units he acquired in Dubai are rented out to guests for as much as $500 a night.

Earlier investigative reports by SaharaReporters found that, as the Director of Procurement at the Defense Headquarters, General Buratai diverted funds meant for the purchase of vehicles and motorcycles for Nigerian troops involved in the fight against Boko Haram terrorists. Our reliable sources in the military revealed that the COAS colluded with a front, a businessman, to procure used vehicles that were in such bad shape that they needed to be significantly refurbished before they could
be used.

Documents obtained by our investigators showed that, on January 13th, 2013, General Buratai reached an agreement to purchase unit “2711” at the TGF Marina Hotel. Our investigative team found that the purchase, which the COAS claimed was an investment through the “Project TFG Marina Hotel,” was completely paid for in one transaction. Eventually, the TGF Marina changed its name to “The Wyndham Dubai Marina.”

Our latest investigations reveal that General Buratai paid The First Group Real Estate for his first real estate acquisition through a Skye Bank account in Nigeria.

General Buratai purchased the second apartment days after becoming the Chief of Army Staff through a Skye Bank account as well. However, this time, he used an army officer, Major Emmanuel G. Adegbola of the Nigerian Army Finance Corps (N/10808), to make several deposits for the second Dubai real estate purchase.

Military sources told SaharaReporters that the COAS stole the funds from Nigerian Army Accounts. One source said it was a well-known practice for senior army officers to use their subordinate officers to pilfer defense funds, adding that the practice took root during the administration of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan. Numerous military chiefs who served under Mr. Jonathan have been indicted for corruption and are facing trial.

Major Adegbola’s payments into the TFG Sigma 111 account in Nigeria (Skye Bank 1770380452) show that, between July 24 and August 17, 2015, General Buratai paid a total sum of N42.2 million to the company.

Documents obtained exclusively by SaharaReporters reveal that, through Major Adegbola, General Buratai paid N10 million on July 24 and N10 million on August 7, 2015.

Three days later, the COAS paid another N10 million for the property, with the telephone number on the Skye Bank teller reading as 08033349740. The phone number belongs to Major Adegbola. Again on August 17, 2015, the Chief of Army Staff paid N3.2 million into the account.

The First Group, which sold the Dubai properties to General Buratai, is a UK real estate development company, but with many international offices, including ones in Abuja, Lagos, and Ghana. On its website, TFG offers potential clients the opportunity to be part of the company’s “exclusive investment property owners’ club” where TFG will “provide you with much more than amazing real estate and lucrative returns.” The site adds that “ownership with us gives you instant membership to our prestigious club and access to a world of exciting rewards and privileges, from fast cash returns and investment property credit to fully paid Dubai holidays.”

In addition to these enticing offers, TFG also offers clients a copy of their Hotel Investment Guide for Dubai. According to the investment guide “one of the major advantages Dubai offers investors is a tax-free environment” with “zero local corporate or personal tax.” The investment guide also directly focuses on the financial returns from owning units in the Wyndham Dubai Marina, stating that the properties were “ideally positioned to generate the strongest possible returns for investors.”

According to a digital news source, Emerites 24/7, in 2015 the “gross and rental returns in Dubai Marina were 8.1 percent and 7.16 percent.” Subsequent investigations by SaharaReporters have found that General Buratai’s unit, when not occupied by him or his family, is rented out to hotel patrons for around $500 per night.

According to a hotel employee with knowledge of ownership and unit rentals, a room on the 27th floor of the Wyndham Dubai Marina could range from $463 to around $500 per night. The hotel employee told SaharaReporters that the cost would depend on public demand and availability of rooms in the hotel.

SaharaReporters also found that the hotel has varying degrees of luxury for units ranging from junior suites, grand rooms, superior rooms, and club rooms. One hotel employee explained to SaharaReporters that, often, the higher the floor the more expensive the unit with “the most luxury being in the club rooms.” This same employee said that many of the units on the 27th floor are considered “superior rooms” which are just below club room in terms of luxury.

Source:Sahara Reporters

A CATALOGUE OF GENOCIDE OF THE NIGERIAN ARMY AGAINST THE ISLAMIC MOVEMENT IN NIGERIA

PREAMBLE:

Following the recent unfortunate massacre of brothers and sisters of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, subsequent arrest of the leader of the Movement, his Eminence Shaikh Ibraheem Zakzaky (H), arrest of hundreds of other brothers and sisters, destruction of properties, perpetrated by the Nigerian Army in Zaria under the watchful eyes of the Nigerian government and the propaganda instituted by Army and the government, seeking to cover up their crime against humanity, the Academic Forum of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria presents as follows:

THE ATTACK ON HUSSAINIYYA

On the morning of Saturday 12th of December 2015, soldiers were stationed directly opposite the Hussainiyyah Baqiyatullah (Center where teaching sessions and other activities are held) located along Sokoto road, close to the polo pitch.

On that day, the Movement was to commemorate a flag hoisting event. The event was to mark the beginning of the Month of Rabiul Awwal, the birth month of the holy Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) where a green flag is to be hoisted replacing the black flag.

Some people from different places have started attending the event which was to commence in the evening. Those in attendance were inside the Husainiyyah while the organizers were busy putting the place in order.

At about 12:30 pm, some of the curious organizers went to confirm why the Army in such numbers were stationed in front of the Hussainiyyah and were informed that they were having a passing-out parade. They said to the soldiers that they have had passing-out parades in the past, but they have never stationed soldiers there and that their presence was generating tension considering what they did in 2014 where they killed 34 brothers and sisters of the Movement. The soldiers started shooting in the air. This was what made those inside the Husainiyyah to start coming out on the road.

In the midst of this, the soldiers started taking position and all of a sudden there was siren of the purported entourage of the Chief of Army Staff which was blocked as a result of the presence of people in front of the Hussainiyyah and on the road in front.

That was when the Army took advantage of the situation and took video of the tension and part of what ensured between some people and the Army. When the tension persisted, the entourage shot some people and passed through.

About an hour later there was reinforcement of the Army carrying heavy arms and box of ammunitions that resumed killing indiscriminately. Eye witnesses saw Nigerian Army killing small children who were confused and running for refuge outside the Hussainiyyah.

They remained in that situation killing any of the members at sight, while the brothers and sisters of the Movement, who are also armless, took cover inside the Hussainiyyah.

The soldiers called on those inside the Hussainiyyah who are in their hundreds to come out of the Hussainiyyah with their hands up which some of them did, but were shot by the soldiers as they went out and this prevented the others from conceding.

Later that night the Nigerian Army threw grenades at the Hussainiyyah putting down part of the wall to gain access. Those inside were taking cover as the soldiers have surrounded the entire building and were shooting indiscriminately and there was nowhere to go to.

Hundreds of unarmed civilians were murdered by the Army at the Hussainiyyah that night amongst who were children. They cordoned off the entire area and took away the corpses of those they murdered. Some of the corpses at that time were deposited at the Mortuary of Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital in Shika near Zaria.

They later brought down the frontage of the Hussainiyyah and later leveled the entire structure on Sunday 20, December 2015.

ATTACK ON SHEIKH IBRAHEEM ZAKZAKY’S RESIDENCE AT GYALLESU QUARTERS IN ZARIA

Just as the Nigerian Army was on its killing spree at the Hussainiyyah on that fateful Saturday, brothers and sisters of the Movement that were trooping to the house of the leader, his Eminence Sayyed Ibraheem Zakzaky (H) to contribute in the anyway they can to protect him. This was what gathered all the people at the Gyallesu residence of the leader of the Movement.

At about 9:00 pm, the Nigerian Army in about nine trucks carrying heavy arms and ammunition arrived Gyallesu area registering their presence by bombing a tea joint and setting the shop on fire.

They took position outside the walls of Congo Campus of ABU facing the road leading to the house of his Eminence Sayyed Zakzaky using the fire they ignited to see the armless citizens of protecting the house of their leader and shooting indiscriminately at them.

They kept on killing people indiscriminately wanting to reach the house of the revered leader which was shielded by brothers and sisters but could not disperse the them.

Brothers and sisters of the Movement continued chanting ‘Allahu Akbar’ (Allah is great) and ‘Labbaika Ya Rasulallah’ (We answer to you Messenger of Allah) and charging at the direction of the soldiers who fearfully stayed away but continued shooting and killing.

Whenever they shoot down a brother or sister, as others rush out to pick him or her they shoot at them and kill them as well. This situation lasted for hours with the soldiers taking a break from their shooting only for 10 to 15 minutes and resuming again.

At about 5:30 am on Sunday, there was another reinforcement of soldiers in about 20 trucks with Armored Personnel Carriers forcing their way through.

brothers and sisters of the Movement maintained their position chanting ‘Allah is Great’ while the Nigerian Army engaged in continued bloodshed breaking the barrier made by armless brothers and sisters of the Movement.

This took another two hours before they could successfully reach the fence of the house of the leader and another one hour before they could get to the gate of the house. Prior to this they had already brought down the side wall of the leader’s house and the remaining members continued with efforts to repel them but all to no avail.

That was when many of the leading brothers including Sheikh Muhammad Mahmud Turi were martyred. Also they killed 3 children of Sheikh Zakzaky, namely Hammad, Ali and Humaid, while shooting their mother Sister Zeenat Ibraheem severally in the womb.

At that point the Nigerian Army went round the surrounding area killing those that were injured to make sure they finished everybody. They cordoned off the entire area killing those injured. Prominent among whom they finished off was Alhaj Ibrahim Usman a journalist working with KSMC.

They then set part of the frontage of the house on fire and invited thugs who stole money, phones and other belongings from the corpses of the innocent citizens and also mutilated dead bodies, in fact a number of the injured were also killed by the thugs invited by the military. They mutilated the dead bodies and cut some of the brothers and sisters by the throat and cut the bodies of others into pieces all in the presence of the soldiers.

They were at the same time inciting sectarian hatred and phobia to justify their crimes as they shoot and kill anyone identified by the thugs as a member of the Movement.

The soldiers were celebrating and jubilating, saying ‘we have finished with Shia and the Zakzaky! No more Shia in Nigeria!’ as if the Nigerian government was fighting against the Shia faith while the constitution allows freedom of religion and worship.

THE ATTACK AT DARUR RAHMA

Darur Rahma is a park, a graveyard and a film village owned by the Islamic Movement in Nigeria. Towards evening on Sunday, some of the brothers and sisters of the Movement have taken refuge at the place following the military attack on the Hussainiyyah and the house of the leader at Gyallesu.

The Nigerian Army in a further attack went to the DarurRahma and shelled the buildings down using rocket launchers and later opened fire at the brothers and sisters of the Movement there present killing many of them while some others escaped narrowly.

The dead bodies from that place were also taken to the mortuary of ABU Teaching Hospital at Shika near Zaria where corpses deposited by Nigerian Army from Hussainiyyah and DarurRahma numbered over eight hundred. This does not include those killed at Gyallesu.

Finally, the Kaduna state government took over from where the Nigerian Army stopped and completed the destruction of all the structures owned by the Islamic Movement across Zaria. These include the Hussainiyyah Baqiyyatullah (Study Center and other gatherings) at GRA area of Zaria, Fudiyya Islamic Center at Dan Magaji and Darur Rahma (Graveyard, Park and Film Village).

Among those killed at the various points of attack are members of the Academic Forum of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria AFIMN. Members of the forum are made up of students and lecturers of tertiary institutions. So far the forum has compiled a list and profile of 68 (sixty eight) of its members gruesomely killed by the Army in the attacks.

The Kaduna State Government had set up a Judicial Commission of Inquiry to look into the pogrom during which the Secretary to the state government confessed that 347 corpse of IMN members were buried in a mass grave in the middle of the night. IMN had officially declared 850 members missing since the pogrom while 191 are being held in Kaduna Central Prison facing charges that include possession of firearms, culpable homicide and illegal assembly.

Several human rights organizations around the globe including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Islamic Human Rights Commission of London have condemned the extra-judicial killings perpetrated by the Nigerian government. The Islamic Human Rights Commission had taken the matter before the International Criminal Court, ICC at The Hague seeking justice on crimes against humanity committed by the Nigerian government and it’s Army.

More so, the IMN had instituted a case before the Federal High Court in Abuja and Kaduna seeking for the enforcement of the fundamental human rights of the leader of the Movement Sheikh IbraheemZakzaky (H). The IMN leader and his wife Malama Zeenat Ibrahim, have been kept in detention without any charges for the past seven months since the pogrom.

CONCLUSION:

In view of the above submission it will clearly be seen that the Nigeria Army operation was preplanned and executed accordingly. There were no such things as plans to assassinate the Chief of Army Staff, or deliberate blockage of the entourage of the COAS. It was only an oppressive act of impunity displayed by the Army with an already planned intention of genocide against the over 20 million brothers and sisters of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria by the government.

The Academic Forum of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria in this occasion of Eid- el -Fitr hereby calls on peace lovers in Nigeria and the international community to rise against this form of tyranny perpetrated by the state in other words rise against state terrorism. We should denounce these acts of oppression and impunity perpetrated by those in power, and in unison call for the immediate and unconditional release of the revered leader of the IMN, his Eminence Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky (H).

Signed

S.I Ahmad
5/07/2016
08053501818
www.islamicmovement.org
www.imnig.org
afimn14@gmail.com
@afimn14
#FreeZakzaky
#ZariaMassacre

ZARIA MASSACRE:President Buhari warned of Divine Vengeance

By Ibrahim Alkatibi

"If it was committed with Buhari's order, then he committed gross oppression. And if the army told him after the operation, then they have fooled him."

- Hajiya Naja'atu Muhammad.

On Wednesday 6th July, 2016 the African Shurafa Forum (ASF) of the Islamic movement under the guardianship of His Eminence Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky (H) paid a courtesy visit to the famous human right activist and politician, Hajiya Naja'atu Muhammad in her house at Sharada, Kano. The visit was also part of Eid El-fitr celebration and the visiting team was warmly welcomed by their guest.

After a brief introduction from brother Mukhtar Director, the chairman of the visiting team, Sidi Atiku, addressed Hajiya Naja'atu on the purpose of their visitation. Then Hajiya Naja'atu took over and gave an inspirational speech to her visitors and wept when she narrated the tragedy of the ZariaMassacre. She said: "By Allah, He will never let go this crime. I had been to the president, Muhammad Buhari, twice and I told him that obviously a great atrocity was committed if you are the one who ordered this massacre, and if they only told you after they have perpetrated it then they have fooled you. And by Allah, He will never let go this and He will surely revenge."

The famous politician further declared that Islamic scholars today have now turned into politicians that they don't bother what Allah said, they only yearn for money. It is unfortunate to find none of them who will boldly stand for truth.

When talking about the lack of care and responsibility of the elites of Northern Nigeria, she said "About 1000+ of them turned into Christianity in the southern region after they were rescued from the areas affected by Boko Haram crisis. I phoned the Emir of Kano and informed him about it and he said he is aware and that they are investigating. He also said that he summoned the business community of Kano and formally addressed them on the issue as well. But there is nothing they can do, because the youths refuse to come back when they were asked, according to them there was no one to help them when they almost nakedly sleep on the streets and no one bother to help them when they almost die of hunger. Now they were housed, feed and clothed. So of what benefit are their Northern counterparts to them?"

She further added that "The Northerners are of no benefit to one another. 63% of Buhari's budget was on the Yorubas. Northeast and Northwest only got 24% each with 12% respectively. Even agriculture that he is proud of only got 2% of the total budget."

She said, the military carnage in Zaria is an unprecedented merciless massacre that even the Pharaoh of Egypt did not commit similar to it. She read from a book that Pharoah used to feed his people by slaughtering thousands of camels, cows and sheeps for his tribe's survival. And this is why Allah prolonged his life. But from the day Hamana advised that the food items be reduced and weapons be bought instead for they have no knowledge of what Moses is planning, in view of that one-third of food was reduced. That same time Prophet Moses said, Allah has answered our Du'a, Pharoah was led astray by Hamana.

She further declared Northern Nigerian politicians are not mindful of their peoples lives, they don't care if they are killed. And she said that, By Allah she fears no one, whoever is he; for that reason she speaks up against whatever is wrong. And this is what she was taught by her father during her childhood, to never fear anyone; there is nothing one can do for her, and she is still on that. She was attacked severally but Allah always delivered her. Some people stepped into her house from the roofing but she was not in the house the day Sheikh Ja'afar was killed.

She narrated how former President Jonathan attempted to kill her where said "He appointed me as minister twice and I refuse the offer, so he invited me to his residence in Aso rock. His wife squeezed my wrapper saying that there is money in it. I said I don't like that, I have principles. I understood that she don't know what is principles, she insisted that there is money. I said to Jonathan, you are killing Northerners under the sham of Boko Haram, you stop it no one will say you are not. I believe that you the one who kills people. And I don't want your appointment as Minister but don't kill me. And he said he won't kill me. One day they invited us for an interview, I was poisoned there, I almost die, I spent two years in one hospital in Germany. I undergo six surgeries, I lost all my intestine in the process. The doctor told me that I will live a long life. My daughter failed to recognize me, she only cried the moment she saw me. For this reason, I fear no one. The greatest ignominy is to fear mankind."

She calls upon the members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria under Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky (H) to spread the calling of the Sheikh (H) all over the world. She said that, only Sheikh Zakzaky (H) is concerned with this country's situation and he is the only one who can bring justice. She advised the members to let the people know more about the Sheikh (H) by writing on social media. She further added that, she is no longer part of the corrupt elites, how can I be with them, do they have Heaven or Hell? I am neither after money nor after political appointments. My hope is to bring change on people's live but they refused. I am even tired of telling them yet they refused to change. We follow Allah because of the fear we have of His Hell and yearn for His Paradise. And we follow the holy prophet (S) for his mercy. What will they be followed for?" She asked.

She narrated how well she knew Sheikh Zakzaky (H) while she was studying at ABU Zaria where she said "I was the first female president of Students Union in ABU from 1983 to 1984. One day I was invited to the mosque where they used to offer their activities under the guidance of his wife. The next week I invited twenty women from our association to the mosque."

Re:Albinawi, Tukur Buratai, and a smear campaign taken too far

"I visited the Nigerian President Buhari twice since #ZariaMassacre and I told him:'If you are the one that ordered the massacre then you had committed gross oppression. But if the Soldiers massacred defenseless Nigerians and informed you then they made you into a fool.'" -Hajiya Najaatu Muhammad

The fearless Kano-based politician and human rights activist said these words and more when some members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) of the Sharifai (descendants of the Prophet) group visited her at her residence in Kano on Wednesday (06/07/2016) to celebrate with her on the Eid occasion. Hajiya Najaatu Muhammad added that even the Pharaoh of Egypt who is the symbol of oppression in the Quran never committed such massacre of this scale. She said most Nigerian scholars are after the accumulation of wealth and not propagating the true message of Islam.

I begin this article with the above quotation to establish a solid foundation for my rejoinder to the above article that appeared in the Premium Times website and other Nigerian news outlets written by a fictitious character Aniefiok Jacob who claimed to be representing another fictitious group "Concern Nigerian Youths".

The Nigerian army Chief Lt Gen Tukur Buratai is not only notorious as a mass-murderer of the Zaria massacre fame nor is he notorious as an extremely corrupt public servant of the BurataiGate fame as a corrupt billionaire and a Dubai landlord, he is also notorious in sponsoring fictitious characters and fraudulent human rights and youths groups to cover his tracks and justify his heinous war crimes and corrupt practices.

After the inhuman Zaria massacre by the Nigerian army that resulted in the brutal murder of 1000+ defenseless and unarmed Nigerian and dumped their dead bodies in mass graves, the Nigerian army Chief Buratai sponsored some fictitious writers to justify the heinous massacre that was undoubtedly a war crime and demonize the victims of the massacre and the most notorious of these writers was one " Dr. Anthony Kolawole" who gave his address as "Nassarawa State University". I dare all to go to the said University and check if such character exist in their staff records!

The above-named article by the fictitious character Aniefiok Jacob that was meant to be a rejoinder to my piece " BurataiGate: The Butcher of Zaria is also a BokoHaram facilitator" is not different from all the multitudes of sponsored articles by Gen Buratai that awash the Nigerian news outlets. The modus operandi of Gen Buratai is that whenever he is challenged for his war crimes in ZariaMassacre or his corrupt practices in BurataiGate he uses the fight against the BokoHaram insurgency as a cover. His sponsored trolls always paint the picture as if Gen Buratai is the only person fighting the BokoHaram insurgency and that all credit goes to him!

When Aniefiok Jacob wrote in the above-named article that: "What is clear from the contraption of one Harun Elbinawi is that the piece was packaged to sooth the ego of our enemies of progress, who detest any good coming Nigerian’s way", the writer has positioned Gen Buratai as the "standard" of Nigerian progress and development. To the warped and pathetic mindset of the writer whoever unearthed the heinous war crimes of the ZariaMassacre of Gen Buratai and his monumental corrupt practices that is today popularly called BurataiGate in Nigeria is "an enemy of Nigerian progress".

The writer tried unconvincingly to exploit the patriotic sentiment when he wrote "It is totally unpatriotic and absurd to go to any length to destroy what our forefathers fought so hard to leave as a legacy for us, simply because certain events did not happen as they anticipated and calculated." For the information of the writer our celebrated forefathers were not mass-murderers nor were they corrupt looters. If I may ask the writer has the great Sardauna ever massacred 1000+ defenseless and unarmed Nigerians in less than 48 hours and dumped their dead bodies in mass graves? And how many choice properties did the great Sardauna had in London, Paris and Nigeria since Dubai was a desert when the great Sardauna was alive? Can this writer compare the impeccable records of the great Sardauna as a public servant to the corruption-dominated records of his sponsor Gen Buratai?

The writer claimed that the corruption allegations against Gen Buratai were "baseless accusations on account of how the Nigerian Army thwarted a planned affront to rubbish its bravado". The accusations were not baseless as the Nigerian army spokesman acknowledged that Gen Buratai have two choice properties in Dubai that he acquired through " personal savings" of which concerned Nigerians debunked that claims by calculating all his earnings as an officer of the Nigerian army and compared it with his $1.5 million properties in Dubai and concluded that his so-called personal savings can not fund the acquisition of such properties. And for the information of the writer, it was not the Nigerian army that owned the Dubai properties rather it is his sponsor Gen Buratai that owned the Dubai properties.

Nigerians are asking questions as to how Gen Buratai acquired those choice Dubai properties from his legitimate earnings but what they get from the embattled billionaire General are only abuses and insults. Buratai is notorious in tagging whoever challenge him as either "worst than BokoHaram or BokoHaram sponsors". It is important for the writer to note that it is not only Harun Elbinawi that is asking these questions, millions of concerned Nigerians who are patriotic to the Nigerian state are also asking the same questions. Insults, abuses, name-calling and threats will not wash away these credible accusations of monumental corruption against the Nigerian army Chief.

In responsible governments Buratai would have resigned to make away for proper investigation into the war crimes that he supervised in the ZariaMassacre and the huge allegation of corruption levelled against him in #BurataiGate. The refusal to investigate Buratai has justified the allegations that the so-called war on corruption of the Buhari administration is selective that only targeted the opposition. In the ZariaMassacre Buratai lied to the Nigerian Human Rights Commission (NHRC) that "only 7 Shiites were kilked and 10 others injured" but Kaduna State Governor Nasir Elrufai through his officials confessed to the Judicial Commission of Inquiry (JCI) that he helped Buratai buried 347 Shiites massacred by the Nigerian army that included women and children in a single mass grave in Mando at the outskirt of Kaduna town.

On a final note, I will end this piece with a verse of the glorious Holy Quran since the hangover of the holy month of Ramadhan is still fresh and in existence:

" And never think that Allah is unaware of what the wrongdoers do. He only delay them for a Day when eyes will stare [in horror]." Quran (14:42)

Harun Elbinawi
elbinawi@yahoo.com
Elbinawi.

The Goals & Objectives of IMN

It is important to note that the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) under the leadership of His Eminence Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky is not a Shia organization in Nigeria and other West African counties. Spreading Shia Islam is not among the goals and objectives of IMN as the Movement rejects sectarianism. The Movement accepted all the school of thoughts of Islam and believes that Muslims should be allow the freedom of choosing the school of thought they want to belong.

IMN is a Movement whose main objective is Islamic Awakening, the Awakening of dead souls from slumber from the Dream State to the Awaken State. And this Awakening is not only limited to Muslims as Islam is a message to humanity. The target audience of IMN is the whole of humanity and that is why IMN is the only Islamic organization in Nigeria that invites Christian leaders to its programs and activities. Even if a person is a non-Muslim Awakening is important as such a person should be conscious of the devilish schemes and machinations of the New World Order (NWO) that comprises Western imperialism and Global Zionism.

One unfortunate condition of some world oppressed is that they ended up been the tools of the NWO who are their wicked oppressors. This is why Islamic Awakening is very important. It is part of this Awakening that prompted the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Khamenei to write his first historic Letter to the youths of Europe and North America after the murderous Paris attacks. And when the need arised later he wrote a second Letter to those youths. I humbly wrote ten (10) footnotes to those two Letters of Ayatollah Khamenei and some of them were published in some Iranian websites after translating them to Persian.

Another objective of Awakening is to produce upright and righteous components of the society that will serve the cause of humanity. There are various currents in our societies today, one of those currents is driving people especially the youths towards murderous terrorism-enabled currents that turned slaughter into an art. Awakening prevents such currents from taken shape in the minds of people as such current pose existential threat to peaceful coexistence among the various shade of humanity. Another current is the Zombies of imperialism who assimilate and parrot the agenda of the imperialist by becoming consciously, subconsciously or unconsciously its agent. Awakening prevents such current from taking shape.

Another goal of Awakening is to produce balanced components of the society that do not suffer from both superiority and inferiority complexes. A product that have all the confidence that God in His infinite mercy bestowed on mankind and it is this confidence that drives this finished components of the society towards greater knowledgeable heights that included scientific and technological advancement. We saw that happened in Iran after the glorious Islamic Revolution in 1979.

Then we come to the Issue of Islamic government. Generally, Islam is a worldview that can not be imposed by brute force. In the Quran God categorically stated that "There is no compulsion in religion". Prophet Muhammad (sa) did not just migrated to Madina and then established the Islamic government. The overwhelming majority of the people of Madina accepted an Islamic government in the pact that they signed with the Prophet (sa). After the victory of the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran, Imam Khomeini (ra) did not just imposed the Islamic government. A nation-wide referendum was held and more than 98% of Iranians voted for the Islamic government and considering the tremendous progress that Iran has recorded within a short time of its history after the Revolution despite more than 30 years of cruel debilitating sanctions that was engineered by wicked Western imperialist, that choice was right and correct. There are various types of governments in the world today and the Islamic government is one of them, there is no law or rule that banned one from advocating for any of these types of governments. It is a matter of choice and people should be allowed freedom of choice.

For the information of those Shia-Zio-Wahhabis in Nigeria who recently launched massive campaign of calumny and demonization against Sheikh Zakzaky and the IMN and in support of the Nigerian oppressors who last December murdered 1000+ defenseless and unarmed Shia Muslims and dumped their dead bodies in mass graves, I say to you that we do not follow Ayatollah Khamenei because he is a Marjii, no we follow him because he is the Wilayat ul-Faqih. There are more than 60 Marjiis in the world today but there is only one Wilayat ul-Faqih. When Ayatollah Khamenei was elevated to this position after the sad demise of Imam Khomeini (ra) he was not a Marjii but we followed and obeyed him then. There are millions of Shia Muslims who follow other Marjiis but politically follow Ayatollah Khamenei as the Wilayat ul-Faqih.

On a final note, I humbly make this declaration "Before I am Shia, I am a Muslim and before I am Muslim, I am human!". We are not slaves of sectarianism as sectarianism has today become a potent weapon in the hands of Islam's greatest enemies. We should open our hearts and embrace the whole of humanity, that is the worldview of Islam and that is the message of Islamic Awakening.

Harun Elbinawi
elbinawi@yahoo.com
Elbinawi.

An Eid Visit to Zaria

Visitations are part of the Eid celebrations and I visited my brother and friend, Dr. Isa Waziri, at his residence at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Staff Quarters. Isa Waziri lost four (4) children during the inhuman massacre by the Nigerian army that took place last December. I met him with a brother who was later introduced to me as Saadu Maigoro.

Isa Waziri sent for his wife to be informed of my presence. Twenty years ago during the courtship of this couple, we were still students at the University and I was the "main escort" of my friend whenever he wanted to visit his wife-to-be. We then settled down for discussion and the monumental feast that is to come.

My friend informed me that brother Saadu Maigoro was also affected during the ZariaMassacre by the Nigerian army. The wife, two sons and a son-in-law of brother Saadu Maigoro were all murdered by the Nigerian army in the ZariaMassacre. His two other sons are among the 191 members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) that are imprisoned in the Kaduna central prison and are facing dead sentence. I look at this brother that wicked oppressors had visited so much tragedy upon, I was lost of words from where to start my condolences. He look at me and smiled, the smile to reassure me that he understand my predicament.

The Lady of the house then interrupted by starting the long journey of dispatching the unending chain of food coolers and assorted beverages. Then the president of the Academic Forum of IMN (AFIMN), brother Shuaibu Isa Ahmad, emerged from the house to join us in the canopy where we were seated. He declared that this was his first time of seeing me live but our host corrected him that he saw me twenty years ago but he was too young to remember. The AFIMM president is a tireless Islamic worker & a capable organizer.

Then while we were battling with our feast Prof. Isah M landed with his car. The last time we met was in 1998 when I passed the night in his room at the post-graduate Quarters of the University on my way to Kebbi State for my National Service. The re-union was beyond words that I forgot to condole him for the murder of his daughter by the Nigerian army in ZariaMassacre.

We all settled down to try to do the impossible and that is to "conquer" the chains of dishes in front of us. Then discussions and analysis started on various range of topics to try to catch up with all the time missed. It was a great pleasure tobe in the company of prof. Isah M again, a great brother in every ramification. When we were at the University as undergraduates, we were stubborn revolutionaries while he at that time was at the University for his post-graduate program and will always tampered our naked Idealism with Realism and sound reasoning.

While we were in deep discussion then brother Ali Musa landed with his family and joined the feast of festival of the end of the Ramadan fast. The mutual affection, love and respect that that congregation generated can not be put in words, that congregation was the true manifestation of real brotherhood despite the tragedy of the ZariaMassacre is still fresh in all our hearts.

The ZariaMassacre was a trial from God and we are honored to be subjected to such trial from God. The wicked, evil and bloodthirsty Nigerian oppressors that murdered 1000+ of our love ones and dumped their dead bodies in mass graves did what they did to break our will but the exact opposite is what resulted.

We had to force ourselves to break that congregation due to other pending appointments and meetings. But Prophet Muhammad (sa) had spoken the truth that visits to loved ones increases love and brotherliness. Sadly the encroachment of Western civilization in our societies have increased individualism among Muslims, this is a negative development that should be reversed.

On a final note, Muslims should use this festive holiday season to visit their loved ones and exchange gifts as such gesture will increase the bond of brotherhood and friendship. To the respected brothers and sisters that I met today, May God congregate us in Paradise with the most beloved of God - Muhammad al-Mustafa (sa)!

Harun Elbinawi
elbinawi@yahoo.com
Elbinawi.

What Is Eid-ul-Fitr?

The Arabic term Eid traces its etymology to the word ‘awd’ which actually means ‘to return’. Therefore the day of Eid is actually the day of ‘return’ towards the Beneficent Lord.

The man is created with a pure fitra which guides him always towards His Creator Sustainer Lord. But man covers his fitra on which he is created, with the dust of sins and heedlessness and thus becomes estranged with His most Loving Lord.

The month long worship and purification in the blessed month of Ramadan removes and clears the hardened layers of sins and reconnects the man with His Creator Lord. So on the day of Eid, that is the day of return, man returns towards His Lord with purified soul.

It’s a day of celebration because we receive the rewards after a month long worship and rigorous spiritual training, and it’s also the day of thankfulness to the Lord because He opened the doors of mercy and forgiveness through the blessed month of Ramadan.

The day of Eid is not a day when we return to our old life of thanklessness and heedlessness, but rather it’s a day when we go ahead in life with renewed spiritual energy and determination.

We should remember Allah this day more frequently and recite the supplication of Imam Ali Sajjad (AS) in Sahifa Sajjadia on the day of Eid, and this dua from Mikyalul Makarim Fee Fawaaid ad-Duaa Lil Qai’m. We offer special prayers on the occasions of Eid to express our gratitude to Allah subhanhu wa taa’la, in this wake.

The day of Eid also mandates for us to pay zakat al Fitra. The poor and needed should be given this zakat so that they can a Eid free of all worries on what to eat. Islam stipulated the minimum, it is recommended to give more grains and funds in charity to the poor.

I end my brief post with the humble request that when you stand to pray on the day of Eid, remember all believers and all the world oppressed in your prayers.

A special request from me to all believers to please remember His Eminence Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky of Nigeria in prayers who is still held in detention by the wicked, evil and bloodthirsty Nigerian tyrant Buhari after he murdered more than 1000 followers of Sheikh Zakzaky that included his 3 sons and dumped the dead bodies in mass graves.

Eid Mubarak To All!

Note:This article was culled from the website of www.al-Islam.org with special additions by Harun Elbinawi

A Nigerian news website NewsRescue reported that Nigerian President condemned the Saudi attack that killed 5 people but did not condemned the #BaghdadAttacks that killed more than 200 people.

An I commented:

"The wicked, evil & bloodthirsty #TyrantBuhari murdered 1000+ Shia Muslims in Nigeria in just less than 48 hours. Then why should this wicked Oldman condemned the killing of Shia Muslims in Iraq by #ISIS? Buhari is worst than ISIS...."

#FreeZakzaky
@Elbinawi

#ZariaMassacre:A Father Salute his murdered Twins on their BirthDay

Hasanain, Happy birthday to you!!!

As you turned 20, I want to join millions of the followers of Ahl Muhammad (sawa) all over the world, particularly our reverred leader Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky who is undoubtedly our 'justification and guide' to Allah (sw), millions of his followers, friends and well wishers, in celebrating this auspicious and historic day-the day(29/Ramadan/1417AH), this twins, turned martyrs, were born.

The martyrdom of Hasan and Husain in the residence of our guide and maula, His Eminence, Sayyid Ibraheem Zakzaky (H), on the 13th of December, 2015, when Wahhabi/Zionists paid agents invaded his (H) to kill him did not come as a surprise to any member of our family.

Reasons:

1. Our leader and Maulaa was the one that did not only preside over my marriage with Hasanain's mother, in fact, he was the one that played the role of my father who presented the dowry and received the marriage on my behalf.

2. After receiving the marriage, he showered prayers and blessed the marriage.

3. Sayyid's prayers, I am optimistic, resulted in the historic birth of this twins and seven of their siblings - Ali-Haidar, Muhammad Mahdi Muntazar, Adam, Muhammad Ja'far, Muhammad Baqeer, Muhammad Jawad and Fatima.

Martyrs Hassan and Husain knew too well that Sayyid Zakzaky apart from being our guide he was their grandfather and who must be protected against his enemies. It was because of this drive and commitment to give their lives in the defence of our Maula that prompted them to join the Abul Fadl foundation. Before their martyrdom, they never missed any program of both the movement and Abul Fadl. They were always on the ground 24/7 to give their time, resources and life for Islam.

Interesting enough, their mother who happened to be a very strong source of knowledge and inspiration to all of us in the family, gave them all the encouragement they needed to become exemplary and Islamic models, at least to their younger ones. Shaheed Hassan and Shaheed Husain were beloved, caring and responsible lots who tried during their life time to make everyone in the family happy, especially their mother and I. They were the lifewire of the house because they were the ones cooking for the family even when their mother was at home. They were the ones washing our clothes and those of their younger ones. They were the ones bathing their younger ones and preparing them for school. They were the ones sweeping the house and washing plates in the house. They were the ones fetching water from a very distant borehole for the house. They were the most effective messengers in the house. In fact, it was after their martyrdom that it dawned on us that they were the pillars and the enginehouse of the house.

But because we are optimistic that they have gone to the next world as pleased and exalted servants of Allah, and as oppressed souls who were innocently and extrajudiciously killed in the defence of our leader - Nasirull Mahdi (AF) by President Buhari ibn Adamu Maiagwagwa. Yes, you were killed by those who adore and hold as leaders - those who conspired to kill the holy prophet (sawa) throughout the period of his mission on earth. You were killed by those who worship those that killed Sayyida Zahra - the beloved servant of Allah and who He was pleased with and pleased with those she was pleased with, the leader of the women of paradise and the daughter of our and the seal of prophets. These are the people who do not only celebrate the killing of Imam Husain(swsa); but who if they had lived or were present in Karbala, would have joined hands with the forces of Yazeed that killed Imam Husain.

Shaheed Hassan and Shaheed Hussain we indeed miss you alot and will continue to untill we join the duo of you and elder ones - Shaheed Muhammad and Shaheeda Fatima, who you all attained martyrdom with on 13/12/2015. As we wish you happy birthday today, we also wish you peace the day you were born and peace the day you were martyred and peace the day you will be raised along with those that killed you for accountability on the day of each-to-himself. May Allah raised you with the martyrs of Karbala.

Isa Waziri
#FreeZakzaky

Those who condemned the #ParisAttacks must also condemned the #BaghdadAttacks:

One of the most deadliest terrorists attacks occurred in #Baghdad where more than 200 Shia Muslims on Eid shopping were slaughtered. The murderous Wahhabi #ISIS terrorist group claimed responsibility.

I want honored Friends to compare the reactions of Western leaders and media to the #ParisAttacks & #BaghdadAttacks as the casualty figures of the former was 136 people killed. The hyper and show of emotions that trailed the Paris attacks is far greater than the nonchalant attitude that greeted the Baghdad attacks by Western leaders and media.

Such hypocrisy and double-standard in grading the worth-ness of human lives is embedded in Western civilization whose root should be traced to the racist nature of that civilization. And it is this racist nature of Western civilization that make these arrogant Western powers interfere in the affairs of other countries by imposing puppet leaders on them to facilitate the plunder of those countries resources and imposing Western values and standards on those countries.

It is also the embedded racism in Western civilization that inspired Western powers to commit genocides, massacres and mass-murders on indigenous populations and steal their lands after wiping out such populations. Palestine is the last remaining of such cases today.

It is important to note that Western imperialism categorized humanity into first-, second- and third- world and the value of human lives are graded as such. Africans, Asians and South Americans lives are "inferior" to the lives of Western Europeans and this is the main reason why these hegemonic powers kill and waste the lives of such natons at will. The Eastern Europeans are the second-rated categories, they are not rich enough to occupy the same position as their Western European neighbours.

The saddest thing of all is that these arrogant Western powers have arrogated to themselves the custodians of humanity, its leaders and the "international community". And there exist gullible people in the so-called third-world countries that acknowledged this superiority complex of these arrogant imperialists and considered them as " models" worthy of emulation.

A world view that should lead and dominate the world should not be a view that is narrow and that is embedded in racism and greedy thirst to corner the resources of developing countries. The world view that should lead the world should not be a view that is graded by race and wealth as is happening in the world today. A world view that should lead the world should be a view that treats all humanity as equal and embrace all of humanity without regard to race, tribe, religion or wealth.

We condemned the Paris attacks not because its victims were West Europeans, we condemned that cowardly attacks because its victims were humans. We also condemned the Baghdad attacks not because its victims were Shia Muslims like us, we condemned that cowardly attacks because its victims were human. The true human is the one who feels the pains of humanity without regard to race, religion, sect, tribe or nationality. This is our value and this is our civilization.

Harun Elbinawi
elbinawi@yahoo.com
Elbinawi.

No, it is a lie Wahhabi as God never murdered the innocent!

One of the fraudulent hypothesis that the clerics of Wahhabism had concocted to brainwash and hypnotized their gullible and brainless followers is the "sign" hypothesis. In this hypothesis that is embedded in compound ignorance, murderous Wahhabi terrorists will murder innocent people then these same murderers will turn around and tell their gullible followers that "God punished those people as a sign for their deviations!".

This is one of modus operandi of how the bloodthirsty Wahhabi clerics justify the brutal massacre of the innocent in various countries of the world today. When #ISIS and #AlQaeda massacred defenseless civilians they will turn back and tell their fanatical and extremist followers that " it was God that punished them for their deviations! ".

This hypothesis was more glaring when the Saudi regime masterminded the brutal slaughter by the Nigerian army of 1000+ defenseless and unarmed Shia Muslims in #Nigeria, those massacred included 100s of women and children. The residence of the revered leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky was attacked by heavily-armed soldiers, 100s of his followers brutally murdered, the entire residence burnt down with him and his family inside. The Wahhabi clerics in Nigeria went on a drunken campaigns that " God punished Sheikh Zakzaky and his followers as a sign for their 'insulting' companions of the Prophet (sa)!"

The Wahhabi clerics had refused to inform their gullible followers that the ZariaMassacre was not planned and executed by God as they claimed but the inhuman massacre was planned in Saudi Arabia and brutally executed by the Nigerian President Buhari and his gang. God never planned and executed the brutal massacre of defenseless and unarmed civilians and dumped their dead bodies in mass graves. It is wicked humans like Salman, Buhari, Buratai, Elrufai etc that does that incomplete disregard to the divine injunctions and commandments of God.

The Nigerian Wahhabi cleric Ahmad Gumi recently stated that fraudulent sign hypothesis when describing the unjust detention of Sheikh Zakzaky by the oppressive and tyrannical Nigerian regime. And Abdulmumini Giwa gave him a brilliant answer in his celebrated write-up "The confused Gumi at it again!".

"On the issue of the said sign Sheikh Zakzaky had seen after his detention that purportedly signified that God was not on his side that is why He is punishing him reminds me of the arrest and detention of Dr. Gumi by the Saudi regime in the past. Dr. Gumi is still as confused as ever even after his release and after he had also seen God’s sign that He was not with him. He had not changed a bit he is still his confused self.

Probably his said sign theory is vague and has no moral basis in religion more especially as it is not supported by history. We have seen a lot of great leaders in history even from among God’s Prophets that have faced the same faith as Sheikh Zakzaky for their belief and ideas that tyrant and oppressive rulers are opposed to. Definitely, this sign theory of Dr. Gumi is only a display of confusion and intellectual sickness corroborated by absence of good reasoning."

It is important to note that for the sake of academic discuss that there is no where the Prophet (sa) decreed that insulting the companions is punishable by death. If such is the rule then the companions that insulted and abused themselves during the life time of the Prophet (sa) should have been killed! And in a famous Sunni tradition the Prophet (sa) was reported to have said that "Abusing a Muslim is transgression and killing Muslims is infidelity". So it is the barbaric killings of Muslims by murderous Wahhabi terrorists under the fraudulent claims of " abusing companions" that is infidelity.

To keep records straight Sheikh Zakzaky and his followers of which the overwhelming majority of them are Shia Muslims do not abuse or insult the companions of the Prophet (sa). The historical difference on the status of some companions between Sunni and Shia has existed for more than 1300 years and there are lots of debates on that. Refusing to acknowledged the superiority of Abubakar, Umar and Uthman over Ali does not tantamount to insult of them as there is no proof from the Quran and authentic Sunnah of the Prophet (sa) to support such claims of superiority.

Harun Elbinawi
elbinawi@yahoo.com
Elbinawi.

Tweets on the Ahmad Gumi's claim that "Sheikh Zakzaky was attacked by the Nigerian Army with his sons killed & nothing happened!"

1.The Nigerian Wahhabi cleric Ahmad Gumi, the son of late Abubakar Gumi, is calling on President @MBuhari to release Sheikh #Zakzaky.

2.His reasons for making this call is not the same reason as human rights activists & people of conscience who also are making the same call

3.I had wanted to write a rejoinder to his rantings & confusions but my brother, Abdulmumini Giwa, had written a beautiful piece on that

4.I shared d Abdulmumini Giwa's piece on my blog & so it will appear on my Twitter Handle. That piece was comprehensive but I will add little here

5.Among the negative reasons given by Gumi is that "Sheikh Zakzaky was attacked by @HQNigerianArmy with his sons killed & nothing happened!"

6.Ahmad Gumi is a Wahhabi like his father before him w/ close links to the Saudi Wahhabi regime.He was once arrested 4 his links to #AlQaeda

7.To the contaminated mindset of Wahhabi Gumi, any incident is settled with bloodshed, killings & destructions just to exact revenge.

8.The Wahhabi-contaminated mindset of Gumi expected that after the murder of 1000+ Shia Muslims by Buhari & his gang, IMN will take up arms.

9.To the bloodthirsty mindsets of Wahhabis & their murderous instincts the first option of any disagreement is war, bloodshed & destruction.

10.In the true Islam that we follow war MUST be the last option of any disagreement. All peaceful means MUST be exhausted to preserve peace.

11.Sheikh #Zakzaky has millions of followers in #Nigeria & WestAfrican sub-region, raising an army will not be difficult but he choose peace

12.Despite the fact that 6 of his sons & 1000+ of his followers were murdered by @HQNigerianArmy within 2 years but still insist on peace!

13.Nigerians should appreciate the peaceful posture of Sheikh #Zakzaky despite all the tragedies the Nigerian state have subjected him to.

14.I will state this important point that the IMN did not resort to armed-struggle because that was the choice made by Sheikh #Zakzaky alone

15.The choice for #IMN to remain peaceful was not influenced by any Nigerian government or security. Is there even security in #Nigeria?

16.We all saw how the @Niger Delta Avengers threatened 2 kill the wicked Nigerian tyrant @MBuhari if he comes to Ogoni. The coward cancelled the visit

17. Today the boastful @MBuhari of the past is on his knees begging the @Niger Delta Avengers to stop destroying Nigerian Oil pipelines.

18.To d Wahhabi Gumi, d choice made by Sheikh #Zakzaky to remain peaceful & seek redress in Courts proves his greatness despite many options

19. IMN will not take-up arms just because Gumi & his bloodthirsty Wahhabis wanted that 2 happen. They want 2 turn #Nigeria 2 another #Syria

20. On a final note, IMN will never make Nigerians suffer in addition to d rampant suffering they are encountering at d moment. #FreeZakzaky

Harun Elbinawi
@Elbinawi

The Confused Gumi at it again
By Abdulmumin Giwa
It is indeed a development that Dr. Ahmad Gumi is now calling for the immediate release of the revered leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria IMN, His Eminence Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky.
At least his approach to the matter differs from some of his kinsmen in Wahabism like the most foolish among the “Arabic speaking idiots” Kabiru Gombe who is leading a support campaign for the incessant killing of IMN members in Zaria by the Nigerian Army and even going as far as praising Lt. General Tukur Buratai for killing the Shi’ites for them.
Dr. Ahmad Gumi’s confusions are so many that one would wonder where exactly he is heading to when he speaks because he is an embodiment of his personal emotions, illogical thoughts and very poor sense of reasoning.
One would definitely expect that Dr. Gumi would be challenged by his brothers in the Wahhabi faith for calling for the release of Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky most especially as the leading Wahhabi Saudi regime is the major sponsor of the killings.
Undoubtedly he was challenged and confronted by a narrow-minded Wahhabi who expressed dissatisfaction with Dr. Gumi’s call for the release of Sheikh Zakzaky in the midst of other Wahhabis listening to his Ramadan Quranic Tafsir session at the Sultan Bello Mosque in Kaduna.
Dr. Gumi took his time to convince them in a way he would avoid offending their sentiments and emotionalism lest he loses credence among them.
What is baffling is his reason for calling for the release of the IMN leader where he stated that Sheikh Zakzaky has seen God’s sign warning on his wrong doings especially abusing of the companions. He added that the Sheikh had been detained illegally without trial and nothing happened and this shows that he can do nothing.
He claimed that the revered Sheikh will have no other option than to succumb to the desires and caprices of the regime when he is released.
Dr. Gumi added that he should be released in order to clear the poor human rights record of the regime in which people are detained without charges. He said this affects governance and international diplomacy where the country cannot even procure arms from other countries because such arms are used in killing innocent unarmed civilians.
On the issue of the said sign Sheikh Zakzaky had seen after his detention that purportedly signified that God was not on his side that is why He is punishing him reminds me of the arrest and detention of Dr. Gumi by the Saudi regime in the past.
Dr. Gumi is still as confused as ever even after his release and after he had also seen God’s sign that He was not with him. He had not changed a bit he is still his confused self.
Probably his said sign theory is vague and has no moral basis in religion more especially as it is not supported by history.
We have seen a lot of great leaders in history even from among God’s Prophets that have faced the same faith as Sheikh Zakzaky for their belief and ideas that tyrant and oppressive rulers are opposed to. Definitely, this sign theory of Dr. Gumi is only a display of confusion and intellectual sickness corroborated by absence of good reasoning.
Dr. Gumi should have simply given his reason as clearing the poor human rights image of the Nigerian regime that is notorious for killing of innocent unarmed civilians and not venture into joining issues with God.
Was it God that killed the over 1000 men, women and children in Zaria on 12th to 14th of December 2015 or the Nigerian Army? Definitely it was the Nigerian Army that violated God’s instructions and committed extra-judicial killings.
Was it God that arrested and illegally detained Sheikh Zakzaky in Abuja without charges or the Nigerian government? Definitely it is the Nigerian government that is keeping him in illegal detention and not God.
Did all these things happen because of the faith of Sheikh Zakzaky and his followers or because they committed a crime punishable by death? Definitely it happened because of their faith in God Almighty which those in authority and people like Dr. Gumi oppose to.
What a religious scholar of logic and good reasoning would say here is that God wants to exalt Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky to a very high worldly and spiritual level and so He decided to test his faith whether he is capable or not.
This is so because we have seen how God had tested Prophets like Abraham who was plunged into fire for his faith, Joseph who was jailed for his faith, Prophet Muhammad who was forced to migrate for his faith and various other instances.
More so, we have seen how in the modern times people like Nelson Mandela were jailed for decades for their ideas and Ayatullah Khumain forced to go to France on exile because of his ideas.
To use Dr Gumi’s expression, “So what” if Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky is jailed for his faith and ideas?
Dr Gumi being an Islamic cleric knows the hardship and losses suffered by the Prophet of Islam during his early years in Mecca that finally led to his migration to Madina. Those were the milestones he faced in the struggle for the establishment of the Islamic system.
In like manner, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky is facing the same milestones in his struggle for the establishment of Islam in our immediate environment and is facing the impending milestones.
I am sure that Dr Gumi is aware that the revered leader of the Islamic Movement had been detained severally because of his faith by successive regimes including the military junta of General Muhammadu Buhari. He had been detained in various detention facilities in Kaduna, Warri, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Lagos among others and now Abuja where he spent not less than a total of 10 years in 10 different prisons between 1979 and 2016.
Thousands of his followers have been murdered by state machineries including three of his biological sons in 2014 and another three in 2015 all for his faith and ideas.
Yet Sheikh Zakzaky still remains firm, steadfast, focused and most dedicated to the course not minding distractors like Dr Gumi and his likes.
Definitely only a blind-hearted man would ignore the level of loyalty being enjoyed by the revered leader of the Islamic Movement where his followers give the ultimate sacrifice of life just to protect him. Even the Nigerian Army had to kill all his followers present at his residence in their hundreds to the last man standing before they could reach him. Indeed this is no ordinary man.
Dr. Gumi’s saying that Sheikh Zakzaky could do nothing because he had been detained and nothing had happened is very stupid. What does he expect to happen? I know he expects nothing more than wanton bloodshed, severe crises and possibly war because that is the average level of thinking of every Wahhabi.
Definitely a lot have happened because his followers have remained focused as he trained them never to allow themselves to be used in shedding the blood of innocent people and should remain focused and resolute. This they have done by refusing to create that opportunity for the terror laden Nigerian regime to achieve is devilish aim. Sheikh Zakzaky’s followers have abided by his instructions even in his absence and have continued with all their activities without hindrance or fear.
His followers have challenged the authorities in courts of law including the International Criminal Court in the Hague and have put so much pressure on the government that it is now on the defensive seeking ways out of their mess including using people like Dr. Gumi to seek a way out for them. Definitely Sheikh Zakzaky is the victor here. He is winning everything without killing anybody and the government is losing everything even after killing over 1000 of his followers.
This piece will not be complete if I did not ask Dr Gumi what kind of sacrifice he has made for his faith and ideas. What hardship and milestones have you crossed for your faith and ideas? None! This means you are either a coward in what you are doing or a hypocrite that God does not even find you worthy of testing your faith to see if you are truthful.
Finally, I assure Dr Gumi that Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky has gone thousands of levels ahead of what he knew him to be before. He has now reached a level of closeness with God Almighty that God is close to making his life dream a reality. Whether they release him or not cannot change what God had planned.
Had it been Dr Gumi was not the confused person he had been, he should have referred to Sheikh Zakzaky’s survival from a well-planned assassination mission by the government under which he is living as the actual sign of God. In fact for the Sheikh to be alive today is a miracle that only the wise could perceive.

*Africa calls for Palestine’s liberation on Al-Quds Day*:

By Shu’eib Hassen (Cape Town), Rafiu Ajakaye (Nigeria), Umaru Sanda Amadu (Ghana), Hassan Isilow (Johannesburg), and Andrew Ross (Kenya)

CAPE TOWN, South Africa

Voices reverberated across Africa in solidarity for Palestine on the annual International Al-Quds Day. With one-third of the world’s Muslim population in Africa, hundreds of thousands on the continent added their voices to global efforts towards Palestine’s liberation.

Al-Quds Day, initiated in 1979 and held on the last Friday of every Ramadan, inspires a humanitarian unity against Israel’s oppression of Palestine, according to Achmad Cassiem, a former South African political prisoner.

“Africa does not localize an important demonstration of such nature, but we share in it, as the pain is one all of Africa can identify with,” he told Anadolu Agency.

*Nigeria marches amid heavy security*

Thousands partook in long processions across major northern Nigerian cities as the country's Shia led Al-Quds Day in support of Palestinian freedom, shadowed by riot police deployed to prevent violence.

Despite the heavy security presence, fears of previous years’ tragedies did not slow the pace of the marchers. It was only two years ago that soldiers attacked the Al-Quds rally, resulting in 32 civilian deaths.

“We thank Almighty Allah that there was no incident of violence or faceoff with anybody. Hundreds of thousands took part in the processions in Sokoto, Katsina, Jos and of course in Zaria,” Ibrahim Musa, spokesman for the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, or the Shia, told Anadolu Agency shortly after the rally.

Musa said the event was a huge success even though local Shia leader Ibrahim El-Zakzaky has been in detention since last December, after an incident in which dozens of Shia members were allegedly killed by soldiers.

Senior IMN member Haruna El-Binawy said that the rally highlighted the suffering of Palestinians and the need for the world to insist on justice for all the oppressed.

“The rallies also call for the release of Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky and all those held captive by the Nigerian regime. The third and final message of the rallies is that the IMN showed solidarity with all the oppressed in the world, especially the Nigerian oppressed who have been plunged into more misery and abject poverty due the self-centered and anti-poor economic policies of the Buhari administration,” said El-Binawy.

*Ghana pushes for Palestine’s victory*

Palestinian and Iranian ambassadors attended Ghana’s stern call for Palestine’s freedom to be achieved within a year. Organizers and speakers at the annual event conveyed solidarity messages in the capital city of Accra.

"We must vow here that when we return next year, we will be celebrating victory," said Edmund Delle, national chairman of the Convention People's Party. "If one country is not free, then we're all not free. I declare a total fight for the liberation of Palestine.”

Attending the event were over 100 different representatives from political parties, Islamic sects, the Rastafarian Council, as well as several learners, including the Students Unions president.

The Palestinian ambassador to Ghana, Abdalfatah Al Sattari, decried how the Israeli state "aggressively oppressed the region through its militancy." For Al Sattari, Israel will be defeated in Palestine similar to what happened in the Sinai region in the 1970s.

Addressing the symposium, Iran’s Ambassador to Ghana Mohammad prayed that one day Palestinians will celebrate republican status like Ghana does on July 1.

Kwesi Pratt Jnr, a member of the Socialists Forum of Ghana, expressed disappointment that Ghanaians treated former Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman like a VIP during his last visit to the country.

The Zionist movement, he said, is very much present in Ghana's schools and churches, adding that they have "managed to distort the Palestinian struggle."

*South Africa’s long walk to Palestine’s freedom continues*

The crowd cheered as the Israeli flag flickered in flames in front of Cape Town’s parliament, while Johannesburg’s streets were covered in pickets and slogan chants calling for Palestine’s liberation.

“Across racial and religious divides we will never forget the cause for freedom and never support anyone who considers Israel a friend,” Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions representative Braam Hanekom told Cape Town’s gathered masses.

Marching from the historic oppressed area of District 6 to Cape Town’s parliament, the Islamic Unity Convention delivered a memorandum to South Africa’s international relations officer Seraki Matsebe demanding that the government strengthen its opposition to Israel, enhance its support for Palestine, and grant educational and employment opportunities to Palestine refugees in the country.

Reverend Jane Major called for women to be strong in the cause as a flotilla to Gaza will be assembled by female activists across the globe.

“They can try to kill us, but the biggest mosque and church is in our hearts,” she told the crowd.

The country holds deep connections with Palestine as the late Nelson Mandela was well known for his stance, having famously said, “We know too well that our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians.”

*Kenyans rally*

Rallies mobilized by Muslims marked International Al-Quds Day in Kenya’s major towns of Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru, and Kisumu.

In the capital Nairobi, over 100 Muslims gathered at Parkroad Mosque to observe the annual event, with a recitation of the Holy Quran followed by speeches from top Muslim clerics and officials.

Sheikh Mohmoud Salim, one of the speakers from the congregations of imams of Nairobi, spoke on the importance of unity within the Muslim community.

The event was organized by the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in conjunction with the Mahdi Muslim Community.

Anadolu Agency website contains only a portion of the news stories offered to subscribers in the AA News Broadcasting System (HAS), and in summarized form. Please contact us for subscription options.

Thank you IMN brothers and sisters, thank you!

When the Wahhabi scholar Ahmad Gumi heard about the millions of followers of His Eminence Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky on streets of major Nigerian cities showing solidarity on international #QudsDay rallies, he called on the wicked, evil and bloodthirsty Nigerian tyrant Buhari to release Sheikh Zakzaky as holding him in detention "has not changed anything!".

These wicked and evil people who murdered 1000+ of our brothers and sisters last December and dumped their dead bodies in mass graves thought that by that inhuman massacre they will break our backbone and our will.

Today with the massive turnout and the millions of Nigerians they saw on the streets chanting #FreePalestine and #FreeZakzaky, they have now realised that their evil agenda has failed and the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) will never be broken by targeting and assassinating its leading lights.

It is important to note that these Wahhabis were the same people celebrating the brutal and inhuman slaughter of more than one thousand of our brothers and sisters in the ZariaMassacre. The despotic bloodthirsty Saudi king Salman who had murdered more than 600 Yemeni children according to the UN report was the first foreign personality to call the Nigerian tyrant and " congratulate" him for a job welldone!

Despite the fact the QudsDay procession took place in close to thirty (30) towns and cities across Nigeria, there was no report of any incident or anybody harmed or molested. This contrasted sharply with the violent image that the Nigerian regime have been trying to portray of IMN members since the inhuman ZariaMassacre.

Though the Nigerian regime did sent heavily-armed soldiers especially to Katsina and Sokoto to intimidate and frightened the peaceful procession but the IMN members conducted themselves amiably and refused to be intimidated. In the case of Zaria an air force military helicopter kept monitoring the procession for the entire duration.

It has always been our believe and will remain so that there is no tyrant in history that has succeeded in destroying an Idea by killing the possessors of the Idea and God willing Buhari will never be an exception to that rule. Sheikh Zakzaky and the IMN were targeted by the wicked Nigerian oppressors not because they were violent or have ever harmed anybody but they were targeted due to their anti-imperialist, anti-Zionism and anti-Takfiri credentials.

After the ZariaMassacre by the Nigerian army one of the principal culprits, Nigerian army Chief Buratai, was discovered to be a corrupt BokoHaram facilitator who stole the funds meant to fight the murderous insurgency to buy choice properties in Nigeria and Dubai. That scandal is famously called "BurataiGate" in Nigeria though for now he is been shielded by the Nigerian tyrant.

On a final note, I wish to send millions of salutations to all those who risked their lives and the lives of their families by joining the QudsDay marches. I will also to greet all the families of the Martyrs of the ZariaMassacre, the 400+ Widows and the 1937 Orphans. God bless you all and give us the fortitude to bear our losses!

As for the killers and murderers of the ZariaMassacre, what befell the past murderous criminals of history will be your end. You will never escape the justice of God even if you escape the justice of man. We are students of history and we are confident that the promise of God is true on wicked oppressors.

Harun Elbinawi
elbinawi@yahoo.com
Elbinawi.

PRESS STATEMENT

ALL SET FOR PEACEFUL INTERNATIONAL QUDS DAY MARCHES TOMORROW IN MORE THAN 24 CITIES ACROSS THE NATION

The Islamic Movement in Nigeria, IMN, under the leadership of Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky (H) has been in the forefront in observing the Quds Day which is well attended by both Muslims and non-Muslims alike on the last Friday of Ramadan for several decades now. This year's event is set to hold tomorrow Friday 26 Ramadan, 1437 equivalent to 1st July, 2016.

The IMN hereby calls on all people of conscience to join in commemorating this annual event by lending a voice to the oppressed people of Palestine, while condemning the Israeli atrocities on them. It is scheduled to take place in over 24 cities across the country, and all are invited to attend.

The Day is commemorated based on conscience and not only on religious consideration as victims of Zionism and illegal occupation of Palestine include Muslims and Christians alike. Moreover pro-Palestinian protest marches such as this are organized in all parts of the world including Europe and America to mark the International Quds Day.

The third holiest mosque in Islam, Masjid al Aqsa is under the occupation of the Zionist Israeli regime following the illegal occupation of Palestine by Israel. The holy mosque of al Aqsa is the place through which the holy Prophet of Islam Muhammad SAWA undertook his night journey when he ascended to the heavens as mentioned in the holy Quran.

The illegal state of Israel had unleashed a reign of terror on the innocent but strong-hearted people of Palestine for the past 60 years, killing unarmed men, women and children, demolishing their houses and placing thousands in illegal detention and torture.

All these are taking place before the very eyes of the world but for reasons best known to them, the international community is simply looking the other way as this state terrorism is taking place with what could best be described as genocide against the people of Palestine.
Left without any help or assistance from the so-called world powers while Israel is dealing deadly blow on the Palestinians, whose lands it had occupied, the entire populace were left to themselves against the terror-laden state of Israel.

It is against this background that the leader of Islamic Revolution in Iran, Ayatullah Ruhullah Khumaini declared the last Friday of every month of Ramadan for people of conscience across the globe to express their support for the Palestinian course and condemn the illegal occupation of Palestine by Israel.

We will also like to seize this opportunity to call on the Nigerian government to immediately and unconditionally release the revered leader of the IMN, His Eminence, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky, who has been most active in this course of struggle for humanity and who in the past lost his children in the cause of this struggle for Palestinian freedom.

SIGNED BY
IBRAHIM MUSA
PRESIDENT MEDIA FORUM OF IMN
0805 078 6093
30/06/16