These are certainly not the best of times for members of the Sheik Ibraheem El-Zakzaky led Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) or the Nigerian Shiites. Their actions in the recent past have provoked very  damning consequences for the sect members, much more as Nigerians are  convinced of its links to the ISIS of Iran.
In the near 40 years history of its existence in Nigeria, the Shiites  have steadily earned for themselves the reputation of violent  extremists, destroyers and lawbreakers, whose impunity has extended to  frequent violent attacks on security agents. In Shiites, Nigerians see a  personification of brutality and the latest discovery of its hidden  agenda to introduce another version of terrorism in Nigeria has  compelled different segments of the Nigerian society to outrightly  denounce and ex-communicate them.
By implication, the entire Nigerian state has risen against the IMN  members, as other Muslims and communities do not wish to have anything  to do with the Shiites. They are even rejected as neighbors to anyone, a  stigma they are battling so hard to conceal.
The Nigerian Shiites have attracted this ignominy based on some of their  unacceptable actions and inclination to violence. In December last year,  the Shiites attacked the convoy of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen.  Tukur Buratai in Zaria Kaduna state. The IMN blocked his way and  rejected all entreaties to have the road open for the Army boss to have  a thoroughfare. The ensuing violent encounters led to deaths.
Similarly, earlier this month, the Shiites again, under the leadership  of Sheik Sanusi Abdulkadir Koki attacked the Nigerian police in Kano  state for daring to stop their annual procession for this year’s  annual Arbaeen Trek to Zaria, an event that mourns the martyrdom of Imam  Husain (AS). The Police which had declared the procession illegal,  attempted to stop them, but were met with stiff resistance, as the sect  members permanently armed, unleashed violence on the Police, leading to  deaths and injuries to officers.
Thus, Nigerians cannot discern why the Shiites in Nigeria worship on  streets/roads with long processions, instead of the mosque like other  Muslims. And during such offensive processions, the sect members are  usually armed to the teeth with dangerous weapons, they deploy to use  without provocation. The atrocities of IMN members have been manifold  and following the recent calls by Shiek Koki for its members never to  obey the laws of the land, has further alienated them from the clan of  sane people and the Nigerian masses who have become increasingly  repulsive of the Shiites with their violent versions of Islam.
Protests against the Nigerian Shiites have taken place variously in  America, United Kingdom, and Malaysia and indeed, in other parts of the  world denouncing Shiites whose penchant to violence and its frequent  attacks on security agents has assumed a dangerous impunity.
For instance, Nigerians in the United States of America protested  against the liberty extended to the Shiites by the FGN and sued for the  prosecution of leader of the sect and the members. Operating under the  aegis of Movement of the People of Nigeria, Cosmas Collins, the US  Coordinator of the group which staged a protest at United Nations  Building and Nigeria House in New York frowned at the non-prosecution of  El-Zakzaky.
He said, “Failure to prosecute these people, including El-Zakyzaky is  making other groups think of coming out because it is now believed that  it is fashionable to take on the state without consequences. The  government must not also omit to consider bringing charges of subversion   against members of the group for inviting Iranian intervention in  Nigeria’s internal affairs. As a prelude to this, the government  should investigate the finances of the group and its senior members to  see if they have been beneficiary of Iranian sponsorship of  terrorism”.
Back home in Nigeria, the Shiites are also rejected as no one is willing  to associate or transact business with them. Saminaka, headquarters of  Lere in Kaduna State recently demonstrated this aversion to the Shiites  as both Christian and Muslim communities protested against the Shiites’  plan to erect a building in the community.
The provincial pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Mr. Oludare Ojo led the protests as he wrote to CAN kicking against the  location of a Shiites’ site near the church premises. Ojo said “They are not comfortable since it is located directly in  front of the church”. The pastor feared that with the recent incidents  of violence initiated by the group in the country, its proximity to the  Church was a threat. While Christians are protesting Muslims too have  joined in rejecting IMN sect members.
Muslim clerics in the area equally alerted the Sarkin Saminaka and  security agencies of threats by members of the community to forcefully  destroy the site of the Shiite building if allowed to be erected.     In Kano state, Shiites protests for the release of El-Zakzaky provoked  residents who massively ganged up to chase them away. A coalition of  civil society organizations have at different times lashed out at the  Shiites, calling for their prosecution over acts of violence and  treason.
The rejection of Shiites has become so pronounced that even Shiites  spokesman Ibrahim Musa recently lamented that, “When we were with  other Muslims, they said they don’t want us and that is why we decided  to build our centre here. The building is just an Islamic centre. We also have an Islamic school there in Saminaka. People who are against us, like the Izaila, those Muslims who go on pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia  are the ones against us. We have a Certificate of Occupancy (C of O).”
The implication of this widespread rejection of the Shiites in Nigeria  means their doctrines are detestable and they are no longer needed in a  peaceful country like Nigeria. This has already been expressed in the  IMN’s ban by the Kaduna State Government and its replication in Kano and  other places in the North.
What their Iranian collaborators intends to achieve through the IMN has  been discovered quite early and the Nigerian Shiites are free to  relocate to the abodes of their paymasters in Iran. But what has  remained certain is that Nigeria would never be anywhere near Syria and  Iran where the ISIS have found as a fertile ground to destabilize  through their noxious campaigns of religion. Nigerians would not  overlook their garments of terrorism.
Written by Charles Ibekwe, a civil rights activist.
