Shi’ites: No going back on Arba’en trek in Kano

From Mustapha Adamu, Kano

The Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), popularly known as Shi’ite has vowed to conduct its annual Arba’en Symbolic Trek today in Kano State.
The Academic Forum Islamic Movement, a unit within the IMN, in a press conference held in Kano yesterday, described as illegal, discriminatory and gross violation of their rights to stop them from discharging their religious duty by the Nigerian security apparatus.
Speaking, leader of the unit, Dr Dauda Nalado, lamented that for two consecutive years, the state government had been “illegally “ ordering the police command to attack the Arba’en trekkers without any provocation.
He explained that the event was conducted on every 20th of the month of Safar in Islamic calender, which is globally marked, lamenting that in Nigeria, the current administration of president Muhammadu Buhari had been banning their members from Cindy ting the procession.
“The Arba’en symbolic trek is our religious duty. We shall be free to conduct it without hindrance, harassment or even unprovoked attack from any quarter.
“Political office holders under the democratic dispensation should uphold their oaths of office in shunning away from any form of discrimination.”
He also called on the federal government to immediately release their leader, Ibrahim Zakzaky, his wife and other detained disciples.
Recall that there was a clash between the Shi’ite members and police in Kano when they defied the police warning and went on with the procession last year.