Kaduna Government Orders Arrest and Prosecution of Shiite Spokesman

By John Shiklam in Kaduna

The Kaduna state government has ordered the arrest and prosecution of Ibrahim Musa, the  spokesman of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria ( IMN), otherwise known as Shiites.

In a statement by the spokesman of Governor Nasir El-Rufai, Mr. Samuel Aruwan, it said: “All security agencies in the state have been directed to vigorously enforce the law, and demonstrate clear resolve by arresting the said Ibrahim Musa, who is further advised to report himself to the nearest police station or any of the security agencies.”

The state government on Friday issued a declaration outlawing the IMN, saying it is an illegal organisation.

However, in a reaction on Saturday, the spokesman of the movement, Ibrahim Musa, had described the ban as an infringement on their fundamental human rights, vowing that the group will  challenge it in court.

But Aruwan said on Sunday that  Musa had identified himself as a spokesman of an illegal group and should  be arrested and prosecuted.

According to the statement,  “One Ibrahim Musa who has owned up to being the spokesperson of an unlawful society, the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN)” noting that a few hours after the IMN was outlawed, Musa admitted to the membership of an unlawful society and identified himself as its spokesman in widely publicized statements.”