The Persecution of Muslim brothers in Sakkwato:

The stand of the Resource Forum of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria.  read french version here

It will be recalled that Malam Ummaru Danmaishiyya had been branded as an Islamic scholar by the disgraced Bafarawa regime and was used to champion the course of the ”sunni’s” in descending on the Muslim brothers of the Islamic movement in Nigeria under the leadership of Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky in Sakkwato about two years back. The “crime” then was observing the Ashura day (martyrdom of Imam Hussein, the grand son of the Prophet). The series of attacks lunched then led to the martyrdom of six (6) brothers, destruction of over sixty (60) shops and houses. Futile attempts were made to destroy the center of the Muslim brothers in Sakkwato popularly known as “Markaz”.

Alu Magatakardar Wamako , the then aspiring governor as part of his campaign promises to the people of Sakkwato state, promised to destroy the Markaz if voted into office. Such a promise is in itself unfortunate and the attempt to implement it now can least be described as barbaric. Danmaishiyya assumed the responsibility of interfering with the state affairs in determining who should be appointed what. What would this mean to the state government especially those seeking political appointments?  However  when Danmaishiyya was short dead, in what appears to be a professional elimination by the state security operatives, the government of Alu Wamako used the opportunity to fulfil their campaign promise of destroying the Markaz and descending on the Muslim brothers.

 So far two persons were confirmed to have been killed by the police (they are Husain Aliyu Mala and Aliyu Sistem Huggumawa), seventy (70) houses and shops had been destroyed and over one hundred brothers arrested. All these were made in the name of investigating the death of Danmaishiyya! The state commissioner of police had earlier on confirmed that two gunmen on a motorcycle were responsible for the killing.

 It is, therefore, surprising to see the mass arrest of over one hundred people as suspects of the crime.  Is it possible for one hundred people to kill one person using one gun? Is it fare to arrest people based on their ideological belief?

For example, will it be logical if there is a fight between Muslims and Christians and a Muslim is found dead to arrest all Christians? Or if there is a tribal clash, for example, between Tivs and Jukuns and a Tivman is found dead would it be justifiable to arrest all the Jukun people? Will it not be the responsibility of the police to investigate and bring to book the criminals? Why then should the Muslim brothers be targeted and arrested for this purported crime?

 In an interview with the BBC Hausa service, the state commissioner of police ironically alleged that the police arrested the Muslim brothers not because they were party to the killing of Danmaishiyya but because they refused dialogue and resisted arrest by attacking the police with ‘dangerous weapons’! How many times had the state security apparatus sent their men to the Markaz for meaningful discussions when they needed to do so? Where was the government when the hired thugs in company of mobile police and military were busy looting, destroying and burning the houses and shops of the Muslim brothers? What brings the army into the matter that is supposed to be Civil?

The members of the Resource Forum of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria are keenly observing the trends in Sakkwato. So far the number of lives innocently killed and the colossal destruction of properties meted on us has been recorded.

To the general Muslim community, we would want to remind them of the trend in the global conspiracy against Islam and Muslims, which is that of setting them against one another. We should, therefore, be vigilant. As Imam Khomeini (Q.S) said, “Those that are trying to sow discord between the Sunnis and the Shiites are neither Sunnis nor Shiites”.

To our bothers and sisters in the movement, we say this is the path followed by all the prophets. They were all persecuted by the tyrants of their times, but they persevered until Allah’s victory came. So we should persevere and pray to Allah to expose these liars.

To the tyrants, we demand for the immediate release of all those arrested, compensation for lives lost and properties destroyed or stolen. One would have thought the series of calamities that had befallen Sakkwato towards the tail end of the last unpopular administration of Bafarawa that started this mayhem would have been a lesson. Since they are not, know that Allah is not unaware of your evil deeds and would surely take vengeance.

Peace be upon those who follow guidance.

Abdullahi Danladi.