A non-governmental organisation, the Centre for Social Justice, Equity and Transparency, (CESJET)has approached the Kaduna State High Court for an order to stop the spokesman of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Ibrahim Musa, from publishing a book on the clash between the IMN and the Nigeria Army. The group alleged that the publication is capable of jeopardizing the ongoing trial of the IMN leader, Sheik Ibrahim El-Zakzaky.
Members of the IMN, otherwise known as the Shiites,had on December 15, 2015 clashed with the convoy of Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Tukur Buratai,in Zaria and many lives were allegedly lost. However, speaking with journalists yesterday after filing the suit, counsel to the rights group, Mr. Edward Omaga, said that publishing the book was an attempt to prove that Ibrahim El-Zakzakky ,and his followers were not guilty whereas the state is prosecuting him.
Omaga said that one cannot release a book for public consumption at the same time when issues are before the court of law; as allowing same will be subjudice.
CESJET in an originating summons filed at the State High Court ,Kaduna, wants the court to determine whether by virtue of the report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the clash between IMN and the Nigeria army and the gazetted white paper emanating from it, whether the IMN was not proscribed and designated as a terrorist group and whether Ibrahim Musa is not by writing a book on the IMN attempting to commit an act of terrorism.
The centre is also asking the court for an order mandating the commissioner of police in Kaduna State ,to arrest and prosecute the IMN spokesman for trying to publish the book entitled, ‘ December 2015 Massacre of Shiites in Nigeria. Survivors accounts which it says amounts to trying to dislodge the Nigerian government.
In the summons taken out by Edward Omaga, the center pointed out that by virtue of the report of the Judicial commission of Inquiry, and the white paper ,the IMN has been proscribed, stressing that by trying to launch a book on the IMN, Ibrahim Musa, is trying to further the activities of the IMN which the centre described as ‘criminal.’
CESJET further pointed out that being the spokesman of the IMN is enough to taint the book with falsehood, defamation or blackmail capable of inciting the public against the Nigerian government and jeopardizing the ongoing trial of Sheik Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, by the High Court of Kaduna State for offences bordering on treason, terrorism and murder.
