The annual Ashura mourning processions held on Sunday in more than 60 towns and cities across Nigeria by the Islamic Movement in Nigeria under the leadership of the illegally detained Sheikh Zakzaky ended peacefully with renewed call for his release amidst allegation by some security agencies that it will cause chaos in the country.
The Ashura procession was first started in Kaduna metropolis very early in the morning along Kaduna Western bypass and by 8:00am, it has ended peacefully.
IMN members in Sokoto where a ban was proclaim on all Shiite activities started their own Ashura procession around 11:00 and by noon it has also ended peacefully.
The 19 Northern states capitals did joined the Ashura procession with the exception of Maiduguri, Makurdi, Illorin and Kogi cities.
Here is the full list of the towns and cities that joined the Ashura procession: 1) Katsina 2) Daura 3) Malumfashi 4) Kankia 5) Dutsinma 6) Funtuwa 7) Zaria 8) Gwaranyo 9) Kaduna 10) Dabai 11) Kudan 12) Kano 13) Suleja 14) Minna 15) Azare 16) Gadar Gayan 17) Bauchi 18) Gombe 19) Lafia 20) Jibiya 21) Gumel 22) Jos 23) Jahun 24) Sokoto 25) Shinkafi 26) Illela 27) Bodinga 28) Birnin Kebbi 29) Damaturu 30) Dutsin Wai 31) Jalingo 32) Kauran Namoda 33) Yabo 34) Dutse 35) Yola 36) Potiskum 37) Talatan Mafara 38) Gashua 39) Tsafe 40) Yawuri 41) Kazaure 42) Ringim 43) M/Madori 44) Bichi 45) Hadejia 46) Gusau 47) Mashi 48) Batsari 49) Gidan Roumji 50) Dass 51) Kutama 52) Sabon Birni 53) Gwadabawa 54) Gada 55) Kware 56) Wauru 57) Gobir 58) Isa 59) Dagauda 60) Zuru
Speeches were made at all the towns and cities above calling on the federal government to realize its folly in its continued illegal detention of IMN’s leader, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky, who a federal high court has ordered for his release.
In an analytical statement released by the Free Zakzaky Campaign Committee it observed that the successful and peaceful completion of the procession in all the places it was carried out in Nigeria exposes the lie that the activities of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria are prone to violence.
The Committee further states that “the procession was conducted against all odds particularly in Kaduna and Sokoto states has put to shame the governors of these two states, Ahmed El-rufai and Aminu Waziri Tambuwal respectively.
“By the intimidating tactics of theirs, they tried in vain to portray the Islamic Movement as a bunch of chaotic individuals whose processions are violent and dangerous and must not be allowed hold otherwise Armageddon would befall the country. However the procession was done and it ended peacefully in Sokoto as in Kaduna and Zaria without an incident, shaming the duo.”
“It was a unique window of opportunity to show the world that IMN is a nonviolent Movement and nothing will happen should they be allowed to exercise their rights to practice their faith. This miracle has allowed the world to see through their misstatements about the Movement being a dangerous bunch of violent lots. The world has seen that these processions end peacefully like other programs of the Movement. There is therefore no longer any reason or justification to seek to limit the activities of the Movement on the pretense of fear of violence. This is unique and we can proudly show it anywhere and anytime,” according to the Free Zakzaky Campaign Committee.
