Shiite vs Military: Senator asks Buhari to order full Investigation

Photo: Senator Shehu Sanni and Senate President Saraki

Senator Shehu Sanni representing Kaduna Central has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to launch a full scale investigation into the killings of Islamic sect (Shiites) by Nigerian Army in Zaria, Kaduna state.

The Nigerian Army had admitted on Monday that its men, on Saturday, shot dead about seven members of the Shiites sect in Zaria, Kaduna State, in the bid by the soldiers to ward off an alleged attack by the sect’s members, on the convoy of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai.

But, in statement issued on Tuesday by Senator Sani who expressed dissatisfaction with the killings of the Islamic sect in Zaria  disclosed that the right to life and human dignity is a foundation upon which all other rights stand.

He stated that the attacks on the homes and members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria is nothing but an indiscriminate and disproportionate use of force by the Military adding that “silence and neutrality to this amounts to nothing but aiding and abetting a clear and undisguised abuse of fundamental human rights.”

He informed that it is absolutely wrong for the members of the group to deny the convoy of the Chief of Army staffs the right of passage adding that killings and arson is not the legal, civilized and proportionate response to “road blockage”.

Senator Sani said, “Nigeria as a democratic state and must learn to balance its security exigencies with the need to observe and uphold its constitutional and moral obligation to fundamental human rights of its Citizens. 

“Any excuse to circumvent human rights, is a step towards tyranny.

Northern Nigeria have in the last seven years been neck deep in violence and soaked in blood, opening a new front will not augur well for the peace and stability of Nigeria.

“The Zaria killings simply affirmed the fact that as a nation we have not learnt our lessons from our painful and hard experience. 

“The action of the military is untenable, intolerable and unacceptable and has a serious repercussion to our global image, perception and moral standing.

“In the light of our recent experiences, it’s in the best security interest of our nation to encourage and support religious groups to operate openly.

“The Islamic movement and their leader have repeatedly denounced terrorism and insurgency. Zaria killing was an avoidable tragedy.

“The use of force must always be the last resort and not the first resort and must be done within the principles of internationally best practices of rules of engagement.

“We have a duty as patriots to support our military to protect and defend our country, but it must be held to account within the permissible line of morality and the law. 

“Those who are in support of the Zaria killings are giving a helping hand to arbitrariness and spitting on a fundamental right that may be used against them someday.

“The enduring spirit of a democratic state is upholding its moral values and achieving its goals. 

“Our ultimate goal of restoring peace and order in our country must not be at the expense of sacrificing those very principles that distinctively separate us from those oppose to our democratic values.”

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