Don’t Breach Public Peace, Buhari Tells Religious Group

President Muhammadu Buhari has warned religious bodies across Nigeria to refrain from activities that are capable of breaching public peace and order. He advised them to always respect constituted authorities and extant laws when conducting their activities. President Buhari gave the warning on Tuesday through the Minister of Interior, General Abdularahman Danbazzau, when he visited Zaria in Kaduna State to assess the impact of the violent clash between the Nigerian Army and members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria last Saturday.



The President, who was accompanied during the visit by the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase and Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, warned that the Federal Government, under his leadership, would not condone any action of lawlessness and total disregard to the rule of law by any religious organisation or individual. Breach Of Public Peace Following the unfortunate incident, soldiers reportedly demolished the Hussainiyya Shrine of the sect located around the PZ area and the residence of their spiritual leader, Sheik Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, at Gulleysu also in Zaria. The Minister and his entourage, who were taken round the area by top army officials, are expected to make their findings known to the President.

The Minister expressed disappointment over what he called continued show of disrespect for the law and breach of public peace by members of some groups in Nigeria and cautioned them to desist from such act. The clash has paralysed economic activities in the ancient city, as banks, markets and schools still remained close in fear there could be further clashes. Residents of the area are still indoors as the entire area is still cordoned off by heavily armed soldiers. ‘Most Unfortunate’ The sect members and the Nigerian Army have continued to trade blames, as to who instigated the clash. While the army alleged that the members of the sect attempted to assassinate the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, the sect denied the allegation.

The group claimed that the military killed 500 of their members in the incident that the Army described as ‘most unfortunate‘. On Tuesday, news of a renewed protest by the sect members in some parts of the state capital to protest the killing of the members and detention of their leader in army custody, sparked tension, as traders, banks, schools had to close as early as eleven in the morning.

However, security was beefed up within the metropolis, as heavily armed security operatives were seen patrolling all over the place. The National Human Rights Commission has set up a Special Investigations Panel into the clash after it received complaints received from the Nigerian Army and concerned citizens. s Channels Television .