Army/ Shi’ite Clash: Army Demands Speedy Proceedings

Benjamin Isaiah

 

The Nigerian Army yesterday expressed dissatisfaction with the continued adjournment and demanded for speedy hearing at the  judicial commission of inquiry set up by Kaduna State Government to investigate  December 2015, Zaria clash between them and members of Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN).
The panel had Monday adjourned  its sitting till Wednesday to allow counsels to the movement have access to its leader, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky.
However,  at its resumed sitting yesterday, one of the counsels to the commission,  Yusuf Ali ( SAN ) informed the commission that the  legal team of the commission had gotten access to the IMN leader.
Ali said Sheik Zakzaky had indicated interest to present his own side of the story before the commission.
He added that it was based on access to the IMN leader that there was need to adjourn the sitting again for the sixth time.
Expressing worry over the frequent adjournments,  one of the counsels to  the Army,  Mr. Biola Oyebanji opposed the application for adjournment, saying that his clients deserved speedy hearing having waited for so long.
Mr. Ali argued that IMN is a corporate body, while Zakzaky is an individual,  and as such the IMN could go on with its memorandum without necessarily accessing Zakzaky.
He further argued that  Nigerian Army needed to be heard at yesterday’s sitting,  even if the hearing would not end immediately.
However,  the chairman of the commission,  Justice Muhammadu Lawal Garba assured that every adjournment is based on circumstances that presented itself.
In adjourning the sitting to April 6, 2016, Justice Garba said,  the commission carefully considered Yusuf Ali ‘ s submission that IMN leader had been accessed and that the IMN leader  is  ready to present his own side of the story so he could be heard.
Leadership