The Kaduna State Commission of Inquiry into the December 2015 massacre of members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria by the Nigerian Army has recommended the identification and prosecution of the soldiers who participated in the killing.
This is coming as the commission also indicted the Nigerian Army for its excessive use of force on the IMN also known as Shi’ites.
The Kaduna State Government on Sunday, July 31, 2016, officially released the Justice Mohammed Lawal-Garba-led Commission of Inquiry on the December 2015 bloody clash between the Nigerian Army and the Shiites.
The report, which was made available to newsmen, also indicted the leader of the Shiites, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, for his refusal to caution his members during the crisis, which it said, was “avoidable.”
The report read in part, “The commission is of the view that the use of excessive force by the Nigerian Army, which led to the heavy casualties recorded in the Cordon and Search Operation is an act of commission for which the NA is directly responsible.
“The commission therefore recommends that steps should immediately be taken to identify the members of the NA who participated in the killings of 12th- 14thDecember 2015 incident with a view to prosecuting them.”
The report, however, put the Shiites members on the watch-list of the state.
“Security agencies should ensure watch-listing of IMN members and other persons of security interests, whenever they are going out or coming into Nigeria with a view to discovering the sources of their funding, foreign contacts and other useful and relevant information.”
The report added that the panel found out that the Federal Government, Kaduna State Government, the IMN, the Nigerian Army and other security and law enforcement agencies committed certain acts of commission or omission which resulted in the avoidable clashes.
The commission was inaugurated on January 29 2016, to unravel the circumstances that led to the clash which claimed many lives and properties in Zaria, Kaduna State.
The commission on July, 15, 2016 submitted its report to Governor Nasir El-Rufai who promised to make the report public.
While receiving the report, the governor said it would be diligently studied to ensure that the lessons were properly digested.
The panel also directed that EI-Zakzaky should be personally held responsible for all the acts of commission and omission of the entire membership of the IMN in its clashes with the Nigerian Army for refusing to caution his members when required to do so.
The reported stated, “Considering the nature and organisational structure of the IMN, where the leader has the total control over the members, Sheikh lbraheem EI-Zakzaky should be personally held responsible for all the acts of commission and omission of the entire membership of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria in its clashes with the Nigerian Army for refusing to call his members to order when required to do so.
“Members of the IMN should never be allowed to carry any unlicensed weapon under any guise. Whosoever found so doing should be prosecuted immediately.
“Intelligence reports by security agencies regarding all threats to security, law and order should be taken seriously and acted upon to nip in the bud such occurrences.
“The Federal Government should have the political will to deal with such threats posed by the IMN and similar groups.”
