Islamic organisation, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has called for dialogue between the Buhari government and the leadership of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, IMN.
The sect’s face-off with the police earlier in the week claimed the lives of a senior police officer, a journalist and others.
A press statement on Thursday by MURIC Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, said it was most disheartening that people die during Shiite protests.
“We condemn all forms of violence. We therefore appeal to the supporters of Shaykh El-Zakzaky to review their strategy. The El-Zakzaky affair is getting complicated”, it read.
“Video clips have emerged showing members of the group attacking police vans during demonstrations while the police vehicles were seen manouvring their ways to escape.
“The death of the senior police officer during the last protest cannot be wished away. Policemen are also human beings. They have dependants and they have the inalienable right to live. Shiites claim that they did not use any weapon but did the officer commit suicide?
“This is why the Shiites need to urgently take another look at their current disposition. It is time to stoop in order to conquer. Non-Shiite Muslims who reside close to Shiite headquarters in Zaria have given damning evidence of the intimidation of neighbours by the Shiites in the days and years before the army’s attack.
“Those harassed included Christians and non-Shiite Muslims. This is quite worrisome. This discovery has made it difficult for those who are intervening in the Shiite imbroglio to absolve the group of any wrongdoing.
“Shiites should not be deceived by the hypocritical declarations of solidarity from certain quarters. Most of such statements are made by people who are keen on exploiting the sectarian lacuna between Sunni and Shiite Muslims.
“They are therefore empty, meaningless and politically motivated. Shiites are simply being egged on to self-immolation by inmates of ‘the enemy of my enemy is my friend’ ideological camp who will disappear into thin air when it matters most.
“Due to past experience, Shiite representatives must be prepared to sign an undertaking that the group will remain peaceful and law-abiding if its leader is granted bail. The conditionalities must also include a vow to stop holding processions which obstruct traffic in anyway anywhere in Nigeria.
“MURIC condoles Channels Television on the death of one of its staff at the scene of the protest. In the same vein, we commiserate with the Nigeria police on the death of the senior police officer.”
