The International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law (Intersociety) has lashed out at the Judicial Panel Report on the clash between soldiers of the Nigerian Army and members of the Shiites group in Kaduna State early this year.

The group in a statement issued by its Board Chairman, Emeka Umeagbalasi and Head, Civil Liberties and Rule of Law Programme, Barr. Obianuju Joy Igboeli, declared that the Judicial Panel of Enquiry set up in January 2016 by the Government of Kaduna State to look into the clash that took place on December 12, 2015 in Zaria, Kaduna State; is an exercise in futility.

It pointed out that there are fundamental flaws inherent in the panel’s “constitution, composition, legal status, procedures, proceedings, outcomes and enforceability.”

“To set the records straight, there was no clash between the soldiers and members of Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) on 12^th of December 2015, but purely a premeditated and well coordinated state terror and genocide. Even the kangaroo Kaduna State Judicial Panel of Enquiry admitted that one Army Corporal was lynched while at least 347 corpses of members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria were massacred by soldiers in the presence of its COAS and buried in mass graves.

“Till date,” the group further argued, “there is no evidence of violent uprising or mob-violence targeted at the Nigerian Army or the convoy of its COAS, Lt. Gen. Turkur Buratai by the Islamic Movement on the said date. Same is the case in the IPOB and its associates peaceful assemblies and jubilation matches of 30^th of August, 2^nd December and 17^th December of 2015 in Onitsha as well as those of 18^th of January, 29^th of January, 9^th of February and 30^th of May 2016 in Aba, Nkpor, Onitsha and Asaba in which as much as 250 unarmed and defenceless activists were massacred with over 400 terminally shot, battered or lacerated. The perpetrators of these two genocides are still on the prowl as we speak.”

Intersociety also recalled, that “the genocidal massacre was carried out on December 12, 2015 in the presence of the Chief of Army Staff, and his convoy leading to massacre of hundreds of Shiite members on the spot. The Shiite members were performing their annual faith processions, using a major road in Zaria, leading to heavy human traffic, which slowed down vehicular movements including the convoy of the COAS. The massacre was repeated on December 14, 2015 at the Shiite headquarters in Zaria during which hundreds of other Shiite members were massacred, their headquarters raised and their leader, Mallam Ibraheem El-Zakzaky shot, battered and abducted till date. A lot of 809 Shiite members were killed or made to disappear till date, according to detailed statistics and pictorial evidence released by the Sect. The Government of Kaduna State later admitted burring 347 corpses in mass graves.”

•Photo shows Intersociety Board Chairman, Emeka Umeagbalasi.

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