The United States of America on Wednesday urged the Nigerian government to investigate reports of a large number of deaths over the weekend in clashes between the military and a Shiite Muslim sect.
Similar calls have been made by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) have also called for a thorough investigation.
CAN and NSCIA are the highest decision-making bodies of the two major religions in Nigeria, and serve as the umbrella bodies of all Christian and Muslim groups respectively.
A statement by the American Embassy in Nigeria said the United States was “deeply concerned” about reports of the clashes, which began on Saturday afternoon in the northern city of Zaria in Kaduna State.
“While many details of the incidents that reportedly began on Dec. 12 remain unclear, we are dismayed to learn of multiple civilian deaths,” the embassy said in the statement. “It is essential that all sides refrain from actions that further destabilize the situation. The United States calls on the government of Nigeria to quickly, credibly and transparently investigate these events in Zaria and hold to account any individuals found to have committed crimes.”
Representatives of the sect, known as the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), say that up to 1,000 of its members were killed by the military.
Military authorities say the sect’s members provoked the clash by blocking a convoy carrying the army’s chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai, and that they believed his life was in danger. The military has acknowledged that seven people were killed initially, but it refused to provide updated numbers.
President Muhammadu Buhari sent a delegation on Tuesday night to Kaduna State, which includes Zaria, in an apparent effort to defuse tensions.
The delegation, which included Interior Minister, Abdulrahman Dambazau, and Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, met with the Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, and Emir Zubair Jibril Mai Gwari.
After the meeting, Samuel Aruwan, a spokesman for the governor, said in a statement that “a situation of calm prevails in the state, with security agencies maintaining a vigilant stance.”
He added: “All residents of the state are requested to promote harmony and peaceful relations, avoid panic and shun rumours.”
The American ambassador to Nigeria, James F. Entwistle, said he believed Mr. Dambazau’s visit to Zaria “was the first step in the timely, transparent investigation,” to which he added that he was sure Mr. Buhari and his administration were committed.
The leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky, was detained on Sunday and remains in custody. The Iranian government, which sees itself as a protector of Shiite Muslims worldwide, has demanded that Nigeria conduct an investigation.
While CAN urged Buhari to intervene and probe the killings “to avoid the escalation of the crisis”, NSCIA has set up a seven-man contact committee to meet with all parties “in the interest of peace and security in Nigeria”.
A statement by the national secretary of CAN, Musa Asake, said although the body would not pre-empt any action to be taken by the government and the Nigerian Army, it would sue for peace between the two contending parties.
CAN demanded the setting up of a judicial panel of inquiry to establish the cause of the crisis and prevent a reoccurrence.
It drew the President’s “attention to the fact that similar circumstances as this led to the escalation of belligerence from the Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’wah wa’l-Jihād, also known as Boko Haram”.
While urging that no harm should be done to Zakzaky, CAN said the establishment of the panel would help forestall fresh insurgent activities in the country.
The association said it “observed, with much sadness, the altercation between the Nigerian Army and Muslim faithful of the Shia Islamic movement, which led to loss of lives of many members of the Shiite”.
“Our faith is bed-rocked on love. We do not only love ourselves, but we also love our neighbours and Shiite Muslims are our neighbours,” the Christian body said.
The Christian body however condemned reports by an Iranian Network, Press TV, which reportedly claimed that CAN had colluded with Boko Haram and the Nigerian Army to perpetrate the killings of Shiite Muslims.
“This is a most unfortunate accusation especially given the fact that CAN has consistently sympathised with the Shias over previous clashes with the authorities,” the association said.
“We urge the Iranian backed Press TV to be mindful of its reportage in order not to stoke religious tensions in Nigeria. We work on the assumption that that is not their intention.”
The association also called “on all lovers of God, be they Christian or Muslims, whether Sunni or Shia, to keep the peace and await judicious action from constituted authority”.
On its part NSCIA set up a seven-man committee to meet with all parties involved in Saturday’s clash.
The decision to set up the committee was taken at an expanded general purpose committee meeting comprising notable Muslims and heads of all Islamic organizations in Nigeria.
The meeting held on Wednesday at the National Mosque in Abuja.
The Secretary General of the NSCIA, Is-haq Oloyede, who spoke with reporters at the end of the meeting, said Muslim leaders decided to come together “to express their concern about what is happening in Zaria and call for restraint on the part of all stakeholders in the interest of peace and security of Nigeria”.
He said NSCIA had also decided to call on the Nigerian government to set up a judicial commission of inquiry to probe the incident.
“Council also decided to set up a seven-man contact committee to meet with all parties and call for caution that we should await the report of the commission of inquiry,” he said.
The group’s scribe said, Daud Naibi would serve as the chairman of the committee, while Muzammil Hanga, Abubakar Tsav, Ibrahim Suleiman, Yusuf Ali, Abubakar Siddique and Is-haq Oloyede would serve as members.
Mr. Oloyede, a professor, said the judicial panel inquiry that should be set up by the government should include all relevant persons and organisations, including the NSCIA.
“If possible members of the group concerned should also be represented on the commission so that whatever comes out would be something that is credible and would be seen as impartial,” he said.
Mr. Oloyede said another decision taken at the meeting was a call to all Muslims in Nigeria to take advantage of the next Jumaat prayer on Friday “to offer special prayers for this country”.
He said with adequate prayers, God would aid the return of peace to the country.
Mr. Oloyede also called on the government and citizens to always adhere to the laws of the land.
“We continue to call for caution from all parties including the aggrieved and we call on the government and the citizens of this country that the best way to solving any grievances or infractions is through the rule of law.
“We should always seek the law as a solution to any of the problems we have, rather than self-help either on the part of the government or the citizenry,” he said.
The meeting was chaired by the supreme leader of the NSCIA, the Sultan of Sokoto, Saad Abubakar, and was attended by several Muslim leaders across the country.
The human rights group Amnesty International also called for an investigation into the killings.
“An impartial investigation is urgently needed into these killings,” the group’s Nigeria director, M. K. Ibrahim, said in a statement on Tuesday evening. “Whilst the final death toll is unclear, there is no doubt that there has been a substantial loss of life at the hands of the military. Anyone responsible for unlawful killings should be brought to justice. Those in detention must be granted access to medical care as a matter of urgency and either charged with a recognizable criminal offense or released.”
