FILE PHOTO: Pakistani Shiite Muslims carry placards of Ibrahim Zakzaky, a Nigerian Shiite radical who wants to set up an Islamic Republic, at a protest against the killing of Shiite Muslims in Pakistan and Nigeria, in Lahore on December 18, 2015 ©Arif Ali (AFP/File)
Nigeria Police and the Department of State Services (DSS) on Wednesday said that the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) wing of the Shiite sect constituted a security threat to the Nigerian nation.
The agencies expressed the view in separate submissions at the on-going public hearing of the Kaduna State Commission of Inquiry into the IMN/Army clash of Dec 12, 2015 in Zaria.
They called for measures to tackle the group before it caused havoc similar to that of Boko Haram in the country.
They said there were other Shitte members across the country but that they were not known to be as violent as the members of IMN, led by Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, now in DSS custody.
The police were represented by the Area Commander, Zaria, DCP MD Shehu, while Mustapha Sani, the State Director of DSS, represented his agency.
Both officials said IMN was being funded by local and international organisations as well as the Islamic Republic of Iran.
They said Iran was the major financier of IMN in addition to locally generated revenues from taxes ranging from N50 to N500 placed on members all over the country.
Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky, detained leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN)
The police said they had evidence that the Lebanese community in Nigeria who were members of the movement also contributed to the funds of the group.
The Divisional Police Officer, Sabon Gari, CSP Taofeek Sabiu, also told the …Read More
Source:: PM Newspaper
