U-Report: Islamic Movement Nigeria Drags El Rufai, Police, Others To Court Over Rights Infringements, Ban, Others

El Zakzaky of IMN

Reported By A Citizen Reporter

The Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) has sued the Kaduna state governor Nasiru Elrufai, the Kaduna state government and the Kaduna state Police Command among others over the continued persecution of its members in Kaduna state and the trampling of their religious rights.


The suit also seeks the court to declare the Kaduna state gazette of October, 2016 that declared the Islamic Movement in Nigeria as unconstitutional, as it severely curtails the inalienable rights of members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria to freely associate and the freedom of conscience.

Explaining why the action became expedient at this material point in time, counsel to the IMN explained that members of the IMN have suffered immeasurable persecution in Kaduna state, the latest being only last Friday as they came out to celebrate the Annual Maulud, one of the key observances of their faith, when armed policemen and hired thugs violently disrupted the procession.

The learned counsel observed that while other religious groups like the Catholics and others carry out processions, the Shi’a community are denied such right to practice theirs.

The suit therefore seeks the court to declare the Kaduna State Gazette No 21 of 7th October, 2016 purportedly banning the activities of IMN as done malafide and without recourse to the law, and same constitutes an affront to Section 1(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As amended). It also seeks an order of perpetual injunction restraining the respondents from further harassment, molestation and violently attacking or arresting and detaining IMN members during their peaceful religious activities or processions.