End persecution of Shiites now- HURIWA urges Government

…..Alleges systemic pogrom of Southern Kaduna indigenes over GOLD:

The Nigerian State has been asked to end without further delay the frequent attacks by security forces of members of the Shiites Islamic Movement in parts of Northern Nigeria.

Besides, the Federal Government has been asked to investigate the claim that Southern Kaduna indigenes are being killed by armed Fulani mercenaries to chase the survivors out of their ancestral land because of the recent findings of huge gold deposits and to deny them their rightful claims to big compensation package. 

Making the plea in reaction to the clash in Kano between Shiites and police resulting in the killing of scores of civilians, the Pro-democracy Non-Governmental Organization- HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) accused the Federal government of systematic but illegal clampdown on the members of the Shiites Islamic group who in any case are entitled to the full enjoyment of all the fundamental rights’ provisions contained in the Nigerian Constitution and global human rights laws.

Terming the actions of the security forces especially armed police  against the members of Shiites Islamic movement as unconstitutional persecution of Nigerians, the Rights body has also called for the release from detention of Sheikh Ibrahim El- Zakzaky or his immediate prosecution in the competent court of law because the indefinite detention without trial of a citizen amounts to a grave violation of the fundamental human rights of such a citizen.

“We condemn in no uncertain term, the continuous confrontation targeting members of the Shiites Islamic movement by security forces in which lethal weapons are deployed resulting in the extra-judicial killings of Nigerian citizens which is a direct violation of  Section 33 (1) of the Constitution which provides thus: “Every person has a right to life, and no one shall be deprived intentionally of his life, save in execution of the sentence of a court in respect of a criminal offence of which he has been found guilty in Nigeria.”

HURIWA in the media statement by the National Coordinator Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko and the National Media Affairs Director Miss Zainab Yusuf said the attack by the police in Kano of members of Shiites was absolutely unlawful and primitive just as the Rights group has called for an Independent Investigation into the incident and prosecution of the armed police indicted over the unlawful killings. 

Corollary, the Rights group has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to order an investigation of emerging allegations of armed attacks targeting indigenous people of southern Kaduna precisely because of recent large scale discovery of precious solid mineral like gold in commercial quantities with the aim of displacing the villagers to stop them from receiving their entitled compensation which may run into Billions of Naira.

“The government must probe the perception that the Southern Kaduna Christian Indigenes are been systematically attacked by suspected armed Fulani herdsmen to force the people out of their ancestral homes to pave way for commercial mining activities and to deny the land owners their compensations or participation or ownership of the business.”

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