Members of an Islamic sect, the Shiite, have concluded plan to embark on a seven-day trek from Kano to Zaria in commemoration of Imam Hussain, a freedom fighter who, along with scores of Muslims, was murdered hundreds of years ago at Karbala, the present day Iraq. This is even as about 5,000 Muslims have today, embarked on the same trekking from Katsina to Zaria.
According to the sect’s leader in Kano, Sheikh Muhammad Mahmoud Turi, thousands of the members would begin the mass trekking ritual in the morning of Sunday, even as he accused the federal government of killing the son of their leader, Sheikh El-Zakzaky.
The Shiite leader made it clear that the soldiers who killed the three sons of their national leader in broad day light in Zaria were Boko Haram members.
“The soldiers killed our people. Those children were university students and Boko Haram means education is sin. Then the soldiers killed them for nothing sake! The soldiers are the Boko Haram.”
Sheikh Mahmoud, who spoke to newsmen in Kano yesterday insisted that the consistent operation of the sect in the Northeast and other parts of the North indicated that government and its agencies have a hand in its activities.
“It is an open secret that the present government cannot exonerate itself from all these mayhem that is happening in the country. It is so obvious that whatever may be the reason, nobody in the country can tell us that the government is not aware or has no hand in what is happening. The government is fully responsible and there is no doubt about it.”
The Shiite leader made it clear that the soldiers who killed the three sons of their national leader in broad day light in Zaria were Boko Haram members.
“The soldiers killed our people. Those children were university students and Boko Haram means education is sin. Then the soldiers killed them for nothing sake! The soldiers are the Boko Haram.”
Sheikh Mahmoud, who spoke to newsmen in Kano yesterday insisted that the consistent operation of the sect in the Northeast and other parts of the North indicated that government and its agencies have a hand in its activities.
“It is an open secret that the present government cannot exonerate itself from all these mayhem that is happening in the country. It is so obvious that whatever may be the reason, nobody in the country can tell us that the government is not aware or has no hand in what is happening. The government is fully responsible and there is no doubt about it.”
The leader of the sect in Katsina, Mallam Yakubu Yahaya, told newsmen that the journey to Zaria was being carried out by members of the sect comprising men and women, young and old, including children, adding that the trek symbolises the forceful trekking of some Muslim faithful after the murder of Imam Hussain.
“We will all converge in Zaria by Tuesday where we shall collectively commemorate the untimely murder of Imam Hussain and other Muslims. We will also commemorate their suffering.”
Another 50,000 Shiite Muslims also staged a peaceful march across Kaduna metropolis and the city of Zaria in remembrance of the late Imam Hussain and his household.
The members of the Shiite in Zaria, who wore black dresses, sang dirges expressing sadness over the martyrdom of Hussain.
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