The proscription of the Shii’tes Islamic religious group by the Federal government has been described as “illegal, discriminatory and unconstitutional.”
Nigeria’s foremost lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, stated this in Abuja on Saturday, in his reaction to an Abuja Federal High Court order granting powers to the government to outlaw the group.
The reaction followed an order granted by Nkeonye Maha in Abuja on Friday which designated the activities of the Shiite organisation in any part of Nigeria “as acts of terrorism and illegality.”
The Order followed an ex parte application filed by the Federal Government, seeking the Court order to proscribe the group
Ozekhome, citing Section 10 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria as amended, said the “Section makes Nigeria a secular State.
He described the Shiites as a religious group, adding that” You cannot ban a religious group
“The Shiites group is a religious group, like the President’s Sunni group. It is not an association that could be banned
Ozekhome, while also citing Sections 38, 40 and 41, said these sections allow for Freedom of Movement and Association
“The Constitution is ruthlessly being shredded by an intolerant and overbearing civilian dictatorship” he said.
He wondered why the federal government had failed to bring the harmed of rampaging herdsmen and their anchor organization, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association
“What group could be more terrorist than the herdsmen and their known anchor, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, that has held Nigeria by the jogular for years, killing, maiming, burning, raping and turning Nigeria into a crimson field of blood birth?
“Until government bans and outlaws these, it is certainly not serious”
The order also restrained “any person or group of persons” from taking part in any activity organized by the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, IMN “under any name or platform” in Nigeria.
The directed the Attorney-General of the Federation “to publish the order proscribing the respondent (Islamic Movement in Nigeria) in the official gazette and two national dailies.”
But Ozekhome berated the Federal government for keeping their leader of the Shiites group, El- Zakzaky in its dungeon in spite of several Court orders calling for his release, adding that the group cannot be outlawed.
