Sect denies kidnapping military officer in Kaduna

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March 29, 2016 10:10 AM

The Shiite Islamic Movement in Nigeria has denied reports linking it to the kidnapping of a senior military officer in Kaduna on Saturday, March 26, 2016.

The Nigerian Army on Saturday, March 26, 2016 confirmed the kidnapping of a Senior Army Officer,

In a statement issued by its spokesman, Ibrahim Musa, the Shiites said their attention has been drawn to a false, unsubstantiated and mischievous claim, that looks more like a planned operation aimed at painting the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) black.

The group said there is some ‘intelligence report’ that the IMN may plan kidnap of military officers for ransom for the release of their revered leader, His Eminence Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky.

“Typically, this was followed by the alleged kidnap of an army officer in Kaduna with the Nigerian Army issuing statement calling on the public to give information that would lead to the arrest of the perpetrators. Soon, some media outlets were quick to quote these malicious sources linking the IMN with the alleged kidnap,” the group said in the statement.

Shiites said it was obvious that the government and its army are going further with their plans of campaign of calumny and false propaganda against the Movement ranging from smear documentaries on television networks, advertorials in daily newspapers, sponsoring fake non-governmental organizations and engagement of some very dubious characters to malign the IMN and its leadership, to engaging in organized crimes and attributing same to the Movement.

“We wish to categorically state here that the Islamic Movement in Nigeria under the leadership of His Eminence, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky has never, is not and will never engage in any form of crime to meet any of its objectives. Crime and criminal activities are fundamentally sinful and are not in our character,” the movement said.

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