Islamic movement describes its proscription as a huge joke

Ibraheem Mahmood|

The Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) on Sunday described its proscription by the order of a federal high court in Abuja last Friday as a huge joke.

In a statement on Sunday, Ibrahim Musa, president of IMN media forum, said the group will not be distracted by the court order, which declared the sect as a terrorist organisation.

According to the Musa, the order will not distract the group from continuing its demand for the release of Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, its leader, who has been in detention since 2015.

The statement read, “The Islamic Movement has learnt of the fallacious court order for its proscription by a high court in Abuja, that it is a terrorist group.”

“We are in consultations with our lawyers, and we would, as a peaceful people who have been victims of Buhari government-sponsored terror attacks throughout his first term and continuing, give an appropriate response.

“We want to assure the general public and the international community that we will not be pushed into taking any rash decision no matter the provocation.

“This order, we believe, was hastily obtained to sweep under the carpet the glaring human rights abuses suffered by the Islamic Movement at the hands of Buhari’s administration since the Zaria genocide of December, 2015. We reject any false flag terror attacks that the authorities would be plotting in our name, and by this assure the general public that we have never contemplated the use of terror tactics in our ways. This is not about to change.

“It is all part of the blinding official stereotypes against the Islamic Movement. We would however not relent in calling for the immediate release of Sheikh Zakzaky and his wife, using all lawful and peaceful means as we have done all this while. We will not be distracted by this huge “joke.”