The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has advised leadership of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), also known as Shiites, to eschew violence in their protests over the continued detention of their leader, Ibraheem El-Zakzaky.
In a statement, the President of the Union, Ayuba Wabba said: “we therefore urge the leadership and members of the Shi’ite sect to not only eschew violence but be guided at all times by those fundamental principles/rules and practices of peaceful protest.”
Wabba stressed that the right to peaceful protest is guaranteed by the 1999 constitution (as amended), saying that such right cannot be abridged by anybody.
“The exercise of this right which the organized labour has routinely exercised in spite of occasional objections has helped in strengthening our democracy in no small way. In fact, at the risk of sounding immodest, we at Labour have become the symbol of popular street protest in Nigeria.
“Congress, from years of peaceful protests has covered some mileage for its members and generality of Nigerians. In the years of those protests, it was guided by discipline (even in the face of provocation) and principles of peaceful engagement.”
The Labour leader also advised the security forces to be guided by the rules of engagement, saying that it is reprehensible and completely objectionable to turn against peacefully- protesting people offensive weapons.
“Rights are available to all citizens, nay, humanity, in equal measure. Thus, the Shi’ite members should not be prejudiced or profiled for vindictive treatment.
“We call upon the government with every sense of responsibility and concern for our national security, to deal imaginatively with the issue of El-Zak-Zakky whom it has kept in detention in defiance of a court order to release him from detention.
“We expect the Government to be firm but flexible, use the stick and carrot approach. It is no sign of weakness.
“Nigeria is bigger than any organization and no one can hold it to ransom. While we support Government’s right and duty to maintain law and order, we equally urge it to do so with the benefit of its previous experiences in dealing with sects.”
