IMN, Iran and New Face of Terrorism, By Abiodun Israel

It is just recently that the so-called 'Arab Spring' was provoked across the Middle-East and North Africa. What appeared to be popular protests on the surface ended up as strategy for regime change in several of these countries. The greater fallout of those protests is instability that replaced the relative peace those nations once knew – Libya, Yemen, Egypt are basket cases while Syria is now the theatre for the world's most confounding proxy wars that began with what trusting citizens thought were simple street protests.

What those who earlier believed in the spontaneity of those early protests have found out is that the larger population responded to populist chants intoned by hidden terrorists among them. No sooner did the protests turned violent than the extremists began killing government forces who in turn responded in kind thereby triggering the disaster that has now engulfed many part of the earth. The refugee crisis from the ill advised kindling of terrorism now threaten to overwhelm Europe.

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Nigeria is facing its own threat of foreign-backed terrorists induced protests with the growing boldness of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) which is actively supported by the Islamic Republic of Iran in pursuit of the spread of Shia brand of Islam.

The extremist group has in recent times been holding series of protest that its leadership apparently aim to use in precipitating nationwide crisis. Similar to the terror cells that operated underground in the Middle-East until they launched with the Arab Spring protests that allowed them metamorphosed into the noxious ISIL, IMN had taken its time to permeate the various sectors in the country – the group has parallel departments that corresponds with government ministries. The structure fits snugly into its disavowal of the Nigerian state and its rejection of the constitutionally guarantied secular state.

It had tested the extremism it would impose on Nigeria on a micro scale in Zaria in Kaduna state where residents and travellers endured years of abuses from IMN extremists. They often obstruct the roads with their processions and totally disregard the resulting hardship this has on other citizens.

But the true confirmation of this group's intention came to light when almost one year ago they made attempt on the life of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt Gen Tukur Buratai, the man entrusted with routing terrorists. That ugly incident in Zaria was likely the IMN's planned precursor for a 'Nigerian Harmattan'. The professional but firm response of the military to that error of judgment should probably be credited for stunting the extremists' rise into a full blown terror group.

Since that incident, IMN has made several attempts to instigate widespread protests, usually with the claim that the protests, marches and treks were to demand the release of its leader, Sheik Ibraheem Alzakyzaky from detention. He is being held for instigating the deadly clashes in the aftermath of the attempt on the COAS' life. 

If clashing with the military has been proven to be sheer idiocy that must not be repeated again, the IMN has simply refused to learn that vital lesson that the military represents Nigeria and as a secular state the country will not allow the dictatorship of a sectarian group or any group for that matter. The Shia group barred its fangs on citizens in October this year during the Ashura procession but soon learnt the hard way that it is dangerous to dare the collective will. They were routed in every city in which they dared to attack Nigerians.

Only a few days ago the extremists turned their attention to a new foe in the quest to undermine the Nigerian state. The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) became its latest target. The police reportedly got intelligence that these radicalised persons were moving cache of arms across state boundaries and swiftly moved to prevent these from being put to use. But IMN would not have any of what it perceived as interference from an institution that represents the law and order for a state it does not recognise. It killed policemen in Kano even though the act also came at human costs to the IMN. 

At the burial of its dead members, an IMN leader, Sunusi Koki expressly vowed that its member would not respect the laws of the Federal Government even if it means them paying the ultimate price. He went on to charge them to continue to resist – a code word for continuing to attack security agencies.

The brazenness of these extremists can only be understood in the context of the support that Iran is actively given them. The logistics, funding and arms flowing from Iran to the extremists is a logical explanation for why they think they are ready to fight Nigeria's military. That country, through the utterances of its senior officials, including past and present ambassadors, have given IMN members the false hopes that it would invade Nigeria once they can be suicidal enough to get as many as possible of their members killed in clashes with state agencies.

Iran in conjunction with the elite wing of the IMN mount intense propaganda to make extremist look like the victim in what can only be a ploy to limit the ability of Nigeria's security agencies from checking these excesses – it is an equivalent of the no-fly zone that had in other unfortunate countries given terrorists the upper hand to topple government. Since the clash with NPF in Kano this propaganda has only intensified even as the threat of unleashing more mayhem with protests and treks increases.

The world may be struggling to understand what went wrong for the seeming popular protests in the Arab Spring to be hijacked by terrorist but the scenario is playing out before our very eyes again here in Nigeria where IMN is expanding a terror network it imported from Iran. Nations are being misled into seeing IMN rebels as victims as evident in the statement from the United States that made condemnation without adequate understanding of the facts.

If another fiasco must be avoided the Iranian-IMN aggression in Nigeria must be understood and treated as what it is, the new face of terrorism.

Abiodun writes from UI, Oyi State.

Nigerians In Uk Take "Prosecute El-Zakyzaky Now" Protest To Commonwealth House In London; See Photos

Nigerians living in the United Kindom on Thursday held a peaceful protest at the Commonwealth building in London, demanding the immediate and speedy prosecution of IMN Leader, Mr Ibraheem El-Zakyzaky by Nigerian authorities. 

The protesters said they decided to protest at the commonwealth because it there are mistakes that the Commonwealth Nations must help Nigeria avoid repeating, adding that ensuring this is not just in the interest of Nigeria but in in the interest of global balance, of which the Commonwealth is part.

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Addressing the protest, the Co-ordinator, Joe Mayowa said a great mistake is being made by not prosecuting members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) for their acts of violence against the state and against citizens of Nigeria and Commonwealth nations.

He said such kid gloves which the Nigerian government is treating the IMN scenario is what gave rise to the Boko Haram insurgency.

According to him, the Shiite members have mirrored every single crime committed by Boko Haram in its formative years yet nothing significant have been done to put its members on trial for breaching the peace in manners that resulted in the loss of life.

He said, "It may also not be a mistake, in which case the delay in prosecuting detained IMN leaders could be a silent plea for international backing by the Nigerian government. It is important the world is able to reassure the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that they have the world's support for nipping the growing terror of IMN in the bud.

"A clear message must be sent to the government that the firmness with which it deals with the IMN threat is a matter global interest as any fallout from delay in dealing with the threat posed by the group will affect the whole world.

"The result of several investigations of those events is profound. They all want the prosecution of the IMN leader, Mr Ibraheem El-Zakyzaky and all those that supported him in that insurrection. The Kaduna State Judicial Commission of Inquiry set up by Governor Nasir El-Rufai clearly indicted him and recommended him for prosecution. The report of the National Human Rights Commission (NHCR) specifically demanded an immediate trial of El-Zakyzaky and his supporters for causing that injurious breach of the peace."

Mayowa said unfortunately, they have not seen the Nigerian authorities arraign Mr El-Zakyzaky for the crimes committed against the nation.

He said, "We have not seen any of his followers that actively took part in unleashing violence on the Nigerian state being put on trial. What we have seen instead is El-Zakyzaky receiving five star treatment under the guise of be held in "protective custody", he gets the best medical attention and protection that law abiding citizens can ill afford. Ordinary citizens that engage in street fights are dragged before the courts for breaching the peace but someone led his followers with weapons to overrun the streets and he is being feted."

He explained that the delayed prosecution of El-Zakyzaky and those of his members found culpable by the reports has emboldened the IMN who have done everything from threatening from threatening more mayhem to almost implementing the threats under the cover of street protests.

He said in the course of mobilsiing for these so called protests and trek, there are reports that fleeing Boko Haram fighters entered several Nigerian cities under the cover of IMN members, adding that they have also used the period to escalate their avowed commitment to undermining Nigeria's sovereignty with their renewed invitation to the Islamic Republic of Iran to meddle in our internal affairs

Some of the protesters Today At Commonwealth building in London,
demanding the immediate and speedy prosecution of IMN Leader, Mr Ibraheem El-Zakyzaky by Nigerian authorities. 

El-Zakzakky: Why The Law Must Take Its Course, By Alphonsus Okeme

Sheik Ibrahim El-Zakzakky, The Leader of
 Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN)
Photo Credit: Dailypost

“Nigeria is pouring fuel on fire.” This is the recent instigative catch-phrase or the inflammatory remarks of immediate past Iranian Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency, Saeed Koozechi over the detention of Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) Leader, Sheik Ibrahim El-Zakzakky by Nigerian security agents.

The withdrawal of Ambassador Saeed Koozechi from Nigeria and his replacement with another comrade, Ambassador Morteza Rahimi Zarchi signifies the desperation of President Hassan Rouhani of the Islamic Republic of Iran to keep an eye on Nigeria. Probably, Iran or the Nigerian government is misreading the minds of the people. Nigerians want no further official links with Iran and its Embassy in Abuja. The Embassy should be closed and further diplomatic ties with Iran should be severed.

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If former Iranian Ambassador Koozechi could “pour fuel on fire” in Nigeria, his successor has the same briefs. Fuel by its nature is extremely inflammable. Added to fire, anybody can guess the consequences. It’s like wild fire experienced by some western countries in the recent past, which consumed a whole Naval Base in Russia.

The Republic of Iran, with its notorious status as founders of Islamic State (ISIS) and global terrorism is making no pretensions about its sponsorship of such acts of terror in Nigeria. The quoted statement unfortunately attributed to the withdrawn Iranian Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency, Saeed Koozechi, abundantly justifies his country’s veiled sponsorship of terrorism in Nigeria in all its ramifications.

Koozechi’s diplomatic gut in Nigeria demoralizes. But more to it, his remarks portrayed Nigeria as a nation which has buried its pride and competencies to interrogate demonic interference with the sovereign rights of her citizens.

It’s extremely annoying dimension was Koozechi’s explicit undiplomatic undermining of efforts of the Nigerian government over the Shiites/IMN clash with Nigerian soldiers in Zaria, December 2015. Nigerian government (Kaduna state) reacted to the incident by setting up a Judicial Commission of Inquiry (JCI).

While the JCI, an initiative of Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai was probing the incidence, the Nigeria’s National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) also waded into the incidence by setting up a probe panel. But a foreign ambassador to Nigeria could not wait for the verdicts of the probes by these lawful institutions, but preferred to incite his comrades in noxious religious fanaticism to unleash “fire” on Nigeria.

Iran has undisputed links with Boko Haram Terrorists (BHTs) in the country, which it has confirmed through numerous publications, as its West African wing of the Islamic State (ISIS).

Legitimately too and overlooking the permissible, but shameful flaws on the part of Nigerian state, assignments of foreign missions in any country is strictly diplomatic to mainly promote healthy relationships among countries under the umbrella of United Nations (UN) of the world.

What is certain is that it does not extend to their Excellencies on foreign missions to appropriate to themselves the laxity and disreputable, offensive role of issuing inciting and inflammatory comments on their host countries’ very sensitive security issues. A foreign mission anywhere in the world is not a blank script.

It lucidly defines limits and extents such foreign countries can interfere into the internal affairs of their host. But Ambassador Koozechi mindlessly overstretched it in Nigeria.

He instigated the violent Shiites members of the IMN, famed for their untamed flair for violence to rise up against the Nigerian government and her people for the detention of its Leader in Nigeria, Sheik Ibrahim El-Zakzzaky. This is undiplomatic. It was a wonderful and murderous impunity from a diplomat and reveals Iran’s real intentions on Nigeria.

It calls to question whether Nigeria’s intelligence security apparatus is in coma or in an emergency ward in an unnamed hospital in Abuja, the seat of Nigeria’s federal government. But if they deny this assertion, it means, one of these two propositions. It is either they are in deep slumber or stone dead, ultimately dazed with some liquor on their duty posts. Iranian presence is still sighted in Abuja, where it possibly and inconspicuously incites more protests to crudely press for the release of IMN leader in Nigeria.

Nigerian security agencies fear a diplomatic row, but allow an Iranian Ambassador to freely trudge on the rights of Nigerians to the extent of undermining the country’s sovereignty with such acerbic and vitriolic comments. It’s amazing that security agents could not do as little as inviting him for explanation before his redeployment. Nigeria is really a wonderful country!

No Nigerian ambassador or anyone on such foreign mission in another country can assume such liberty to dabble into his host country’s internal and delicate security affairs. Not with such instigative intent as typified by Koozechi without being appropriately reproached.

However, Ambassador Koozechi and his Iranian bosses cannot rise above the Nigerian government or its institutions. The Kaduna State JCI on the IMN/ soldiers clash chaired by Hon. Justice Mohammed Garba submitted its report on the crisis since July 15, 2016.

A nine-member White paper drafting committee has also been set up by Governor el Rufai. While awaiting the white paper, the JCI’s report has clearly indicted the Leader of the Shiites/IMN, Sheik El-Zakzakky and his incensed members for the sustained acts of lawlessness and particularly, the unlawful attack on the convoy of the COAS, Gen. Tukur Buratai in Zaria.

Parts of the panel’s report states inter-alia; “Members of the IMN owe absolute loyalty to Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky. He therefore bears responsibility for all acts of lawlessness committed by the organization and should therefore be held responsible, fully investigated and prosecuted.”

Demonstrating their unrepentant passion for violence in the guise of religiosity, the report admitted that even calls by Governor el-Rufai to Sheik El-Zakzakky to restrain or prevail on his followers to open the aisle for the COAS were rebuffed. El=Zakzakky’s intervention at that critical hour would have saved the souls and lives of Nigerians on both sides, wasted in IMN’s violent confrontation with the Nigerian army. But he irreligiously declined.

The JCI repeated in several paragraphs of the report that the IMN leader and his adherents have become an epitome of outlaws in that part of the country, at different times. The COAS incident only exposed their violent insanity and their prosecution would serve as deterrence.

In spite of the Constitutional provision for freedom of worship, religious sects have no reason to consider it a license to trample on the fundamental rights of other Nigerians to enjoy their prescribed, lawful liberties.

The JCI frowned that; “From the testimonies of the State Security Service (SSS), the Nigeria Police, groups such as the Jamaatu Nasril Islam (JNI), communities such as Gyallesu Community, Sabon-Gari community and a host of others, including individuals, it is clear that the menace of the IMN activities had been going on (seemingly unchallenged) for quite a long time.”

Notwithstanding the assailing guilt, the Shiites or IMN in Nigeria and their sponsors organized fresh protests. They disparaged the report as biased and lopsided, even though the JCI submitted a report widely hailed as impartial.

But while they delighted in their fantasy of unchallenged lawlessness, it blindfolded them against the new order in Nigeria. The same damning verdict handed over to the IMN by the JCI was separately re-echoed by another independent body- the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

It urged security agents to expedite action on the trial of members of the IMN, who assailed the convoy of COAS in a dismissive affront on Nigerian laws. The verdicts of these two separate bodies could not have necessarily skipped the truth.

What remains certain is that the IMN members transgressed the laws of the land. The COAS incident is not the first of such transgressions. The Shiites in Nigeria have a reputation for this religious indecency and easy resort to unprovoked violence.

Security agents, especially the DSS would do Nigerians a favour by arraigning Sheik Ibrahim El-Zakzakky and suspected Shiites members to court for alleged willful breach of national security. This should be done immediately because during the Shiites clash with the army and its aftermath, large cache of arms and ammunitions have been found in the possession of IMN members. Its an indication of their sponsorship by Iran, which warranted their confrontation of a constituted authority. Iran aims to destabilize the whole West African region and governments of countries in this region should be watchful.

In the meantime, Nigeria is no longer a pariah state in the comity of nations, as stated by President Buhari in his 2016 Independence Day speech and diplomats who brazenly traduce UN ethical code, like Koozechi, in host countries should be severely reproved by the world body.

Security agents should not only ensure that the Iranian Embassy in Nigeria is closed, but its redeployed Ambassador, Saeed Koozechi, who presented himself as a spy and certified agent of ISIS in Nigeria, be prosecuted. Iran is secretly plotting to ignite a religious crisis in Nigeria worse than the experience of Somalia, Syria and the rest.

In addition, DSS and NIA should thoroughly investigate their activities in Nigeria in the last few years to halt such further abrasions on the sovereign rights of a nation.

But if Nigeria’s security agencies have taken Koozechi’s remarks for granted, a coalition of human rights groups and the National Interfaith and Religious Organizations for Peace, numbering over 500 civil society groups are getting increasingly uneasy that Nigeria still maintains an Iranian Embassy in the country to erode the gains the Nigerian military has made over terrorism. Their massive protest to the Iranian Embassy in Abuja a few days ago sufficiently conveys this message.

Okeme , Executive Director, National Peace Network contributed this article from Lagos.