• Shi’ittes say proscription a huge joke
The police in Kaduna on Sunday said that they had beefed up security ahead of today’s ruling of the application filed by the embattled leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, Ibraheem El-Zakzaky.
Justice Darius Khobo of the Kaduna State High Court will rule on the application filed by El-Zakzaky, who is seeking permission to travel abroad for medical treatment.
The bail hearing comes barely three days after a Federal High Court in Abuja granted the Federal Government the power to proscribe the Shi’ittes’ organisation
The Shi’ittes’ protests in Abuja had been violent. They had also resulted in the death of a police officer and a National Youth Scheme Corps member, Precious Owolabi.
On Sunday, the Kaduna State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Yakubu Sabo, assured the people of the state that adequate security had been put in place for hitch-free court appearance.
The spokesman, who spoke to one of our correspondents on the phone, said the public was advised to remain calm and not to be apprehensive where they observe unusual number of security personnel in town.
“As part of the strategy put in place for a smooth process of the court trial, there will be traffic diversion in the following areas: Independence way, Bida Road, All roads leading to Ibrahim Taiwo Road,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, known as the Shi’ittes, has described the Abuja High Court order proscribing its activities and tagging it as a terrorist group, as a “ huge joke.”
Punch
