The Islamic Movement in Nigeria, IMN, says itsย attention has been drawn to a report emanating from theย Directorate for state security saying that Shiites plans to embark on violent protest.
However, in a statement signed by its spokesman, the group said it has no plan whatsoever to stage any violent protest.
The IMN described the so-called report has “another lie from the purveyors of half-truths among the agents of DSS that are profiteering from the denial of the rights of IMN members and should be disregarded”.
Read the rest of the statement below:
The report further states that similar fake so-called intelligent reports by the Military allegingย that IMN members were stockpiling arms for revenge attack was theย alibi for the December 2015 massacre, which led to the extra-judicialย murder of over a thousand innocent citizens in Zaria. This was laterย disproved even by their own one-sided Commission of inquiry that foundย and reported that the widely held belief that IMN was stockpilingย weapons was not true.
The DSS and other security agents must realise that peaceful protestsย are the inalienable rights of citizens. They must come to terms withย this fact. It cannot be denied under any pretense. Theย heavy-handedness of security agents since the unjustifiable Decemberย 2015 attack is enough justification for peaceful protests.
Additionally, the continued detention of our leader, Sheikh Zakzaky byย the federal government in contempt of the court is a furtherย justification for peaceful protests.
We will like to reassure the general public that our protests willย continue to remain peaceful no matter the provocation as it hasย always been. We will not succumb to any intimidation. We remainย focused and resolute on our demand for the immediate and unconditionalย release of our leader Sheikh Zakzaky, his wife and other detainees.
