The Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) yesterday replied the Northern State Governors Forum (NSGF), which in a communiqué issued at the end of its meeting on Friday called on the Movement to cooperate with the Judicial Commission of Inquiry set up by the Kaduna State Government to investigate the December military attack on members of IMN in Zaria.

“We appreciate the Governors’ call, at least it is an acknowledgement on their part that something unfortunate in the history of the North happened in Zaria that if not handled fairly and justly could have long-term consequences for the region and the country in general. However, IMN made their points for staying away from the commission very clear and will like to remind the Governors and the general public. None of the reasons have been given consideration or addressed by any of the relevant authorities or even by the NSGF or all those clamouring for our appearance before the commission,” a statement issued in Kaduna by President of IMN Media Forum, Ibrahim Musa, said.

Restating the position of IMN, better known as Shiites, Musa said: “Foremost among the reasons is the continued incarceration of the leader of the Islamic Movement, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky, who we all know was attacked in his own house towards midnight in what the Army termed ‘cordoned and search’ operation without any justification. The crux of the matter is that there is simply no rational basis for the soldier’s attack in his residence in the first place. In effect justice demands that Sheikh Zakzaky is supposed to be a free man so that he can give his own input to the Commission on his own volition.

“As things stands now, those who are accused of killing at least 1,000 people including women and children are roaming about freely, despite admission that they buried at least 347 of those in a night burial in a mass grave in an attempt to hide their crime. On the other hand, Sheikh Zakzaky and hundreds of his followers who are victims of the brutal military attack are behind bars, with some standing trial for alleged culpable homicide. This smacks of gross injustice and bias on the part of the government that sets up the Commission. IMN firmly believes that for justice to be seen to be done, Sheikh Zakzaky should be promptly set free unconditionally.

IMN also pointed at the lopsided composition of the commission, which is set in a way to suggest that the final report was already determined against it. We have already pointed out to the government and the public that among the ’13 wise men and women’ of the Commission are three people who are well known in their hate campaigns against the IMN. This has not been addressed too.

“What we had expected the NSGF to have dwelt up is not our absence from the proceedings of the Commission but the disturbing facts emanating from the confessions of the Kaduna state government in the mass burial of 347 people and the denial of such a war crime by the soldiers involved. The Army admitted before the panel that it handed ‘few corpses’ for the mass burial. Our records show that close to 400 others remain unaccounted for.

“Thus the NSGF ought to be sufficiently disturbed that a “few” of their citizens were secretly buried in mass grave by one of their members and even more disturbing is the majority of the victims are yet to be accounted for. Did they task Governor Nasiru Elrufai to explain?

“The Islamic Movement sincerely believes it is not too late for the NSGF to demand for the immediate release of Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky and other members of IMN in detention. It is only when victims of the military attack in Zaria are savoring their freedom just like their attackers that justice might be expected from any judicial commission of inquiry.”

•Photo shows detained Sheikh Zakzaky after his arrest by soldiers in December 2015.