The Federal government, on Tuesday, announced the proscription of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) also called Shi’ites.
The inspector general of police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu, who stated this in Abuja at a conference organised by the Force Headquarters for senior police officers said henceforth any protester arrested in connection with IMN will be prosecuted under the “Terrorism Act.’’
It would be recalled that the federal government had, last Friday, July 26, obtained a court order proscribing the IMN after it branded it as a terrorist organisation.
Adamu stressed that increasing engagement of terror tactics, violent and subversive activities of IMN contravened the Terrorism Prevention Act 2013, as amended.
With the judicial pronouncement of the Federal High Court in Abuja, the police chief said the federal government had classified the Ibraheem el-Zakzaky-IMN as a terrorist group.
“In consequence, henceforth, any person engaged or associating, in any manner that could advance the activities of the proscribed Islamic Movement in Nigeria, shall be treated as a terrorist.
“Such person will be treated as an enemy of the State, and a subversive element and shall be brought to justice within the context of the Terrorism Act.
“The import of this is that all forms of procession or protest by IMN is now illegal and thus banned,” he said.
He said the police and other security agencies were fully committed to giving full effect to the judicial pronouncement in the interest of internal security and national cohesion.
Adamu solicited for the support of the public in the provision of information that would help in identifying locations of IMN members and their mentors.
According to him, for the purpose of clarification, Nigeria is a secular state with constitution provisions guaranteeing the freedom to practice our faiths.
He said that the constitutional provision must be exercised in a manner that would guarantee national security.
“All adherents of the Shiite Sect in Nigeria remain free to continue to practice their faith and shall be guaranteed adequate security to so do as the judicial order does not stop them.
“The El-Zakzaky-led Shiite Islamic Movement in Nigeria which does not recognise nor accept the Constitution and Government of the Federation is the sole organisation that has been classified as a terrorist organisation and proscribed,” he added.
With NAN report
