Act Now, Zakzaky

Alert – Write to the Nigerian High Commission in your country, demanding that they take action on the Arba’een state violence

5 September 2024

Contents

Summary

The Nigerian army has once again responded to peaceful religious processions in North Nigeria with violence, killing at least four mourners at an Arba’een procession, and arresting many more. In the following days they have used an array of repressive measures to intimidate and silence the victims.

Background

During an annual Arba’een march in Suleja Town on 25^th August, peaceful mourners were shot and arrested by the Nigerian police. The police then partook in arson attacks and vandalism on the property of the marchers.

They took the bodies of the dead to an undisclosed location in order to keep them from being identified or for a credible death toll to be given and have denied those arrested access to their lawyers, medical care or their families. So far, we are aware of 4 mourners being killed, with over 100 being seriously injured, only 25 of which were taken to hospital.

The Nigerian police then released a statement claiming that the mourners killed two police and injured a further three whilst defending themselves from the police, a statement that was completely false.

On the 27^th August the police, not satisfied with the state of their coverup so far then attacked the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital in Gwagwalada, FCT Abuja. If an attack on a hospital was not bad enough, they then raided a private primary school, vandalising the premises and arresting innocent people.

Then on 28^th August videos released by the police show them parading female prisoners with their headscarves forcefully removed to newsmen, an act unacceptable in Islam.

The police are well known for attacking gatherings by followers of Sheikh Zakzaky, a prominent sheikh in the Nigeria, including, but far from limited to the Zaria Massacre in 2015 where around 1,000 people were massacred, and 2014 massacre also in Zaria. This shocking incident did not stop the killings however, and since January 2018, the police have killed more than 80.

Action Required

IHRC is asking campaigners to contact the Nigerian High Commission in their country demanding that the Nigerian state stops its violence on followers of the Islamic movement in Nigeria, and respects the rights of Muslims to practise their religion peacefully (template letter below).

For background information on the persecution of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria please visit our campaign page here.

Please send any responses to info@ihrc.org

You can donate to the families of state violence in Nigeria here

Model Letter

Your Excellency,

Re: police attacks on the annual Arba’een procession

I am writing with extreme concern at the violence that peaceful mourners have faced by the Nigerian State when simply attempting to practise their religion peacefully and in line with international law. During an annual Arba’een march in Suleja Town on 25^th August, peaceful mourners were shot and arrested by the Nigerian police. The police then partook in arson attacks and vandalism on the property of the adherents of the teachings of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria. They then released a false report claiming that police had been killed and injured whilst defending themselves from this violence, which is untrue.

To make matters worse, the police then took the bodies of the dead to an undisclosed location in order to keep them from being identified or for a credible death toll to be given and have denied those arrested access to their lawyers, medical care or their families. So far, I am aware of 4 mourners being killed, with over 100 being seriously injured, only 25 of which were taken to hospital.

On the 27^th August the police attacked the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital in Gwagwalada, FCT Abuja. If an attack on a hospital was not bad enough, they then raided a private primary school, vandalising the premises and arresting innocent people.

Then on 28^th August videos released by the police show them parading female prisoners with their headscarves forcefully removed to newsmen. This heinous act is an insult to Muslims across the World, and appears to be an act to show Muslims that our religion can be disrespected by the Nigerian state, and that we are unable to do anything about it.

I urge you to bring this matter to your government and let them know that Muslims and human rights defenders around the World stand in solidarity with their Muslims brothers and sisters, and will not abandon them to such barbarity as we have seen taken out on the followers of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, both now and in the past.

Yours Sincerely,

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