Following the numerous confrontations between the Nigerian Police and members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Shiites, that led to the death of Usman Umar, Deputy Commissioner of police, Precious Owolabi, a Channels Television reporter and many others, Justice Nkeonye Maha, of the Federal High Court in Abuja, Friday named the Shiites a terrorist organization.
With the order according to Punch, the court restrained any person or group of persons from participating in any form of activities involving or concerning the IMN under any name or platform in Nigeria.
Recall that this is not the first group that has been proscribed. The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, were last two years declared a terrorists organization owing to their modus-operandi.
However, a copy of the ex parte application marked FHC/ABJ/CS/876/2019, was filed in the name of the Attorney-General of the Federation.
Report has it that Justice Maha granted the four prayers contained in the application shortly after the Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr Dayo Apata, argued the application on Friday.
The IMN was the sole respondent to the application but the group was not represented by a lawyer on Friday since it was an ex parte hearing.
However, the spokesperson for the group, Ibrahim Musa, said the government could not proscribe the movement, pointing out that its members were Muslims practising Islam as “revealed” by Prophet Muhammed.
He said the group was neither an association nor a political party that could be proscribed by fiat.
Musa, according to PUNCH Newspaper on Friday, noted that the IMN was a mass movement and could not be made to abandon its religion just like that.
Musa said, “Firstly, we are not an organisation or association or a political party that can be proscribed by fiat.
“We are Muslims practising Islam as revealed to Prophet Muhammed under the leadership of his family. Ours is a mass movement, hence we can’t abandon our religion just like that.
“We don’t bear arms, we don’t force others to join us, we are just demanding justice within the ambit of the law, therefore, proscribing us won’t work.
“We can’t say this is what we will do if we are proscribed, because it just won’t work. We are in each and every facet of life like other citizens.”