Sani blames Shiite crisis on Buhari govt, says refusal to obey court orders threat to peace

Former Kaduna Central senator, Shehu Sani has blamed the Federal Government for the persistent protests by the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) and the attendant crisis.

Clashes between the IMN, popularly called Shiites and the police in Abuja on Monday led to the death of at least 17 members of the sect, a deputy commissioner of police and a journalist youth corp member with Channels TV.

Sani in a statement via his twitter handle @ShehuSani on Tuesday said the crisis was avoidable and blamed the continued protest by the sect on the refusal of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to release detained leader of the sect, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky

“A spade is called a spade and not a spoon,” Sani wrote. “The government is the causative agent of the needless crisis and clashes with the Islamic Movement.”

Sani noted that the government’s refusal to obey court orders is the real threat to peace and not the Shiites.

“The detention of their leader and the persecution of their members and the disrespect for court orders is the real threat to peace and not the reverse.”