Kaduna Government Officially Labels Shiite "Insurgent"

The Kaduna State Government has officially labelled the Shiite Islamic Movement of Nigeria, IMN, an insurgent group. This is contained in a White Paper released by the government on Monday.

“For all intent and purpose, the IMN is an insurgent group and ought to be treated as such,” the government said n the white paper.

The government also said the detained Shiite leader, Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, will be held responsible for all acts carried out by the group’s members.

The white paper said, “Members of the IMN owe absolute loyalty to Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky. He therefore bears responsibility for all the acts of lawlessness committed by the organisation and should therefore be held responsible, fully investigated and prosecuted.”

In the white paper, the state government also indicated it may not prosecute the soldiers involved in the killing of over 300 members of the IMN in December last year, but may leave their prosecution to the federal government.