MURIC PETITIONS FG OVER KILLING OF SHIITE MUSLIMS

Esteemed Members,

As-Salaam Alaykum,

Somebody complained on that MURIC did nothing about the killing of 35 Shiite Muslims in Zaria a week ago. But this is not true. MURIC issued a press statement four days ago (a copy of that press statement was posted to this forum) and we also sent a petition to the Federal Government on the issue.

Please find below a copy of the petition sent through His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the NSCIA on the massacre of our Muslim brothers in Zaria. The petition was sent on Tuesday 29^th July, 2014.

MURIC PETITIONS FG OVER MASSACRE OF

SHIITE MUSLIMS

The President General,

Nigerian Supreme Council For Islamic Affairs,

National Mosque,

Abuja.                                                                                       

    Date: 29^th July, 2014

Your Eminence,

As-Salaam Alaykum,

PETITION OVER THE MASSACRE OF 35 MUSLIMS IN ZARIA BY THE NIGERIAN MILITARY

We are constrained to bring to your attention the brutal massacre of thirty five (35) Muslims who were marking Quds Day which is an annual event set aside to mark the Day of Palestine.

In an unprecedented departure from all known norms in security circles and in clear breach of international best practices, Nigerian soldiers descended on the peaceful procession and mowed down thirty five unarmed Muslims in Zaria on Friday, 25^th July, 2014. 

In view of the fact that the use of street protests as a veritable means of ventilating strong opinion on public issue is not a new phenomenon and it is respected the world over, this brutal action must be registered as a crime against humanity.

In compliance with the President-General’s constant admonition on the need for adopting the dialogue option when we are wronged, we of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) deem it necessary to call your attention to this unprovoked aggression with the hope that Your Eminence will bring it to the attention of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, His Excellency Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

As a Muslim human rights organization, we are deeply concerned about Allah-given and fundamental human rights of the dead and injured victims which stand violated by the perpetrators. We therefore demand the following:

1.  thorough investigation of the massacre and due punishment for the perpetrators;

2.  adequate compensation for the injured and families of the dead victims of this unwarranted military assault and

3.  unreserved apology for the military’s high-handedness.

We remind Your Eminence that a similar extra-judicial killing by the same military led the nation to where it is today. For the war against Boko Haram to be jointly fought and won and for Nigerian Muslims not to begin to see themselves as endangered species being deliberately targeted by the Nigerian military, the Federal Government must ensure that the above three steps are taken.

We reaffirm our belief in and commitment to the oneness of Nigeria as a nation and we resolve to continue to promote peaceful coexistence among the different religious and ethnic groups which make up this potentially great country.

Long Live the Sultan.

Long Live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Professor Ishaq Akintola,                          Alhaji Tijani Shehu

Director,                                                         Secretary

NOTA BENE: Please find attached our press statement on this issue.