The annual Ashura mourning procession by the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) held yesterday in more than 60 towns and cities across Nigeria. IMN is the corporate name of Nigerian Shiites, whose leader, Sheikh Zakzaky, remains detained by Nigerian authorities in defiance of court orders. The procession ended peacefully with a renewed call for El-Zakzaky’s release.

The Ashura procession was first started in Kaduna metropolis very early in the morning along Kaduna Western Bypass and by 8:00 a.m., it had ended peacefully.

IMN members in Sokoto, where a ban was proclaimed on all Shiite activities, started their own Ashura procession around 11:00 a.m. and by noon it was all over without any incident.

An IMN statement said the procession took place in the capital cities of the 19 northern states with the exception of Maiduguri (Borno), Makurdi (Benue), Ilorin (Kwara) and Lokoja (Kogi).

It released the following list of the towns and cities that joined the Ashura procession yesterday: Katsina; Daura; Malumfashi; Kankia; Dutsinma; Funtuwa; Zaria; Gwaranyo; Kaduna; Dabai; Kudan; Kano; Suleja; Minna; Azare; Gadar Gayan; Bauchi; Gombe; Lafia; Jibiya; Gumel; Jos; Jahun; Sokoto; Shinkafi; Illela; Bodinga; Birnin Kebbi; Damaturu; Dutsin Wai; Jalingo; Kauran Namoda; Yabo; Dutse; Yola; Potiskum; Talatan Mafara; Gashua; Tsafe; Yawuri; Kazaure; Ringim; M/Madori; Bichi; Hadejia; Gusau; Mashi; Batsari; Gidan Roumji; Dass; Kutama; Sabon Birni; Gwadabawa; Gada; Kware; Wauru; Gobir; Isa; Dagauda; and Zuru.

The Free Zakzaky Campaign Committee observed in a statement that the successful and peaceful completion of the procession in all the places where it held “exposes the lie that the activities of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria are prone to violence.”

According to the Committee, “The procession was conducted against all odds particularly in Kaduna and Sokoto states has put to shame the governors of these two states, Ahmed El-Rufai and Aminu Waziri Tambuwal respectively.

“By the intimidating tactics of theirs, they tried in vain to portray the Islamic Movement as a bunch of chaotic individuals whose processions are violent and dangerous and must not be allowed hold otherwise Armageddon would befall the country. However the procession was done and it ended peacefully in Sokoto as in Kaduna and Zaria without an incident, shaming the duo.

“It was a unique window of opportunity to show the world that IMN is a nonviolent Movement and nothing will happen should they be allowed to exercise their rights to practice their faith. This miracle has allowed the world to see through their misstatements about the Movement being a dangerous bunch of violent lots. The world has seen that these processions end peacefully like other programs of the Movement. There is therefore no longer any reason or justification to seek to limit the activities of the Movement on the pretence of fear of violence. This is unique and we can proudly show it anywhere and anytime.”

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