By Mahdi Garba In response to the US decision to list Nigeria as a country known for the violation of minorities’ religious rights, Russia...
In
response to the US decision to list Nigeria as a country known for the
violation of minorities’ religious rights, Russia, Cuba, Tajikistan, Sudan and
Saudi Arabia, Nigerian Foreign Ministry
dismissed the allegations in a
statement
issued on Tuesday, 8 December 2020, by its spokesperson, Ferdinand Nwonye.
Similarly,
while responding to the US’ claim, the Minister of Information and Culture,
Alhaji Lai Mohammed, debunked the claim, saying “Nigeria does not engage in
religious freedom violation, neither does it have a policy of religious
persecution.”
The
Minister also added that the victims of terrorism in the country are adherents
of Islam, Christianity and other religions.
Surprisingly,
it is five years after the Nigerian military attacked members of the Islamic
Movement in Nigeria and justice is yet to prevail. No military personnel has
been called upon to account for the 705 that are still missing since the
violent crackdown on the Islamic Movement leader, Sheikh Zakzaky, and his
followers in Zaria between 12 to 14 December 2015.
Though
the United States might not be trusted because we have seen it involved in the
violation of human rights, especially in its intervention on wars in Iraq,
Afghanistan, Syria and Libya, but its designation of Nigeria as a country known
for the infringement on the rights of minority religious groups like the Sheikh
Zakzaky-led Islamic Movement is a right step in the right direction.
Nigeria’s
government’s rebuttal of the allegations was naïve and childish, as they lack
facts. For any Nigerian living in the country knows that since 2015, the
Nigerian authorities at Federal and States level have serially attacked the
members of the Islamic Movement whenever they are out for any procession.
For
instance, in 2018, while
commemorating the Arba’een of Imam Husain, a Shia Muslim ritual meant to mark
the fortieth day of one of Prophet Muhammad’s grandsons in Abuja, more than 47
were killed after security operatives acting on the orders of Nigerian
government fired live rounds and teargas on the mourners. As a result of the
attack, more than 200 sustained various degrees of gun injuries and 400
detained, including 142 minors.
Another
stance that attracted local and international condemnation is the ill-advised
and illegal proscription of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria late July 2019.
Famous
Nigeria’s human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, described the proscription as
immoral and illegal.
Similarly, the foremost rights group, Amnesty International joined a host of
other individuals and groups in decrying the decision taken by the Nigerian
authorities.
“The
proscription of IMN is a deliberate attempt to divert attention from crucial
issues including; justice for the massacre of over 350 in Zaria in December
2015 as well many other IMN supporters killed by security agencies over the
years,” according
to Amnesty International while reacting to the proscription of the
Movement.
Nigeria’s
contempt for court verdicts is glaringly clear. This was manifested in its
handling of Sheikh Zakzaky’s continued detention. In December 2016, Justice
Gabriel Kolawale of the Federal High Court, Abuja ruled that Sheikh Zakzaky and
his wife be released, an order that the Muhammadu Buhari-led Nigerian
government has incorrigibly refused to obey, despite the deteriorating health
of the duo.
The
list of similar
events
that prove the country especially under this administration not sensitive to
the plight of religious minorities is inexhaustible. When the Minister of
Information and Culture said Nigeria is jealously protecting religious freedom
as enshrined in its constitution, he forgot that the families of the more than 1,000
followers of the Islamic Movement that have been killed since 2015 are still
nursing mourning their beloved ones.
It
is five years after the infamous Zaria Massacre, yet none of the perpetrators
has been brought to book, but Nigeria is shamelessly saying it is conscious of
religious freedom.
Mahdi
Garba writes from Jos and can be reached at Mahdigarba@gmail.com
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