Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani has called for the
establishment of a fact-finding committee in Nigeria to
investigate the recent military crackdown on Shia Muslim
community in the African country.
“Under the present circumstances, we expect the Nigerian
government to sympathize with all victims and prevent the
persistence of any kind of unrest by issuing firm
instructions,” Rouhani said in a telephone conversation with
his Nigerian counterpart Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday.
Local media said on December 12 that more than a dozen
people were killed after clashes erupted between the
Nigerian army and Shia Muslims in the northern city of
Zaria, Kaduna State. The military accused the Shias of
attempting to assassinate Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai,
the chief of the Nigerian army staff.
Nigerian soldiers opened fire on the people attending a
religious ceremony at Hussainiyyah Baqeeyatullah, a
religious center belonging to the Islamic Movement of
Nigeria (IMN).
Top Nigerian Shia cleric, Ibrahim al-Zakzaky
One day later, revered Nigerian Shia cleric Ibrahim al-
Zakzaky and his wife were arrested during a raid by the
army on his residence and the buildings connected to the
Shia community in Zaria. Local sources say hundreds of
people trying to protect the cleric were killed.
Rouhani further warned of plots to cause discord among
Muslim countries and urged Muslim nations to remain
united and vigilant against schemes.
“We should not let minor differences grow into deep-seated
conflicts and differences,” Rouhani said, adding that the
Muslim world currently needs to settle issues peacefully.
He also expressed Iran’s readiness to dispatch medical
teams to Nigeria to treat those injured in the recent wave of
violence.
Buhari, for his part, said he would fulfill his responsibility to
ensure safety of the Nigerian Muslims and
meticulously probe the recent deadly incidents.
Nigeria attacks pre-planned plot: Larijani
Speaker of Iran’s parliament (Majlis) Ali Larijani said on
Tuesday that the recent bloody attacks against Shia
Muslims in Nigeria were a pre-planned plot in the best
interests of the Israeli regime.
In a letter to Nigeria’s Speaker of the House of
Representatives Dogara Yakubu, Larijani added that the
painful incident was aimed at causing discord among
Muslim sects.
He condemned the attacks and called for the immediate
release of Zakzaky.
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