By Gideon Njoku
The Federal Government of Nigeria, on Wednesday, in Abuja, literally finished the Leader of the Shiite Muslims in Nigeria, Sheik Ibraheem El-Zakzaky.
The Islamic Movement of Nigeria, IMN, which the Cleric also leads, had gone to court to over-turn a court judgement which proscribed it. The case was filed on IMN’s behalf by Femi Falana, SAN.
But in a counter- affidavit, the Federal Government literally threw the bomb.
In a revelation that is bound to shock most Nigerians, especially, Christians, the FG said that El-Zakzaky has a sole aim, which is to turn Nigeria into an Islamic State. It also added a diplomatic bent to it.
El-Zakzaky, the FG alleged, has the full support of Iran to Islamize Nigeria.
This revelation has a couple of implications. One, it is bound to rob the Islamic Cleric of the sympathy of Christians, most of whom are in the forefront of fighting for his release from detention, on bail, as granted by, at least, two courts.
Two, it is good public relations for the President Muhammadu Buhari administration which most Christians, allege, plans to Islamize Nigeria. It stands to reason that, if the FG is alleging this against the IMN, then the Buhari regime has no such plans.
Three, if it is true, then, time may come when the IMN could decide to work with ISIS and Boko Haram, both of which sole aim is also to Islamize Nigeria.
Justice Nkeonye Maha of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has fixed September 11 to hear the substantive case.
A Court had, on July 26, proscribed the IMN.
It would be recalled that El-Zakzaky and his wife, Zeenat, have been in the custody of the DSS since 2015, a consequence of IMN members’ clash with the Army.
At the time, Iran had officially protested what it called a persecution of the Shiite Muslims in Nigeria whose leader, El-Zakzaky is.
The FG had refused to obey bail orders given by the courts, until a few weeks ago when a Kaduna High Court granted the couple a medical bail to India.
But El-Zakzaky and his wife were returned to Nigeria from India within 96 hours by the FG which alleged that the couple had not only become nuisances in India, but had breached all the bail conditions.
The couple denied the allegations, insisting that the FG had connived with the Indian government to treat them like criminals at the Indian hospital.
The allegation of El-Zakzaky’s plan to Islamize Nigeria, with the support of Iran, adds a new twist to the already messy situation.
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