Why proscribe Shi’ites, why not Miyetti Allah – Queries Ozekhome

BY OUR EDITOR

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Mike Ozekhome, has faulted Friday’s order of the Federal High Court, Abuja, proscribing the Islamic Movement in Nigeria popularly known as Shiites, declaring it as unconstitutional.

Ozekhome in a statement Saturday said the court’s ruling which also declared the Shiite movement as a terrorist group was unconstitutional on the grounds that a religious group could not be banned.

He wondered why the Federal Government had yet to make a move to proscribe the herdsmen and their main umbrella body, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN) who had been linked with several killings and kidnappings across the Federation.

He said: “The proscription by the government of the Shi’ites religious group is highly discriminatory, unconstitutional, as was the case of Indigenous People of Biafra.

“What group could be more terrorist than the herdsmen and their known anchor, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association that has held Nigeria down by the jugular for years, killing, maiming, burning, raping, turning Nigeria into a crimson field of a bloodbath?

“Until the government bans and outlaws these, it is certainly not serious.

“They are demanding for the release of their leader still kept in government dungeon in spite of several court orders.

“The Shi’ite group is a religious group, like the President’s Sunni group.”

According to the statement published in the online edition of Saturday PUNCH, Ozekhome contended that the proscription was a violation of the rights of the members of the Shi’ites group, guaranteed under section 38, 40 and 41 of the Constitution, adding that, “the Constitution is ruthlessly being shredded by an intolerant and overbearing civilian dictatorship.”

He continued: “It (IMN) is not an association that could be banned. Section 10 of the Nigerian Constitution makes Nigeria a secular State. You can’t ban religion, a people’s belief.

“There is also freedom of thought, conscience and religion in section 38, while sections 40 and 41 allow for freedom of movement and association.”

Saturday PUNCH had reported exclusively that the Federal Government Friday obtained an ex parte order, about three days after a bloody clash between members of the group and the police in Abuja claimed the lives of the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, Federal Capital Territory Command, Usman  Umar, and a Channels Television  journalist, Precious Owolabi.