The National Missioner and Chief Imam of Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, Sheikh Abdulrahman Ahmad on Thursday warned that deploying maximum force cannot solve the grievance of members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) popularly known as Shiites.
Ahmad said the government must “forestall” the catastrophe that another insurgency could breed if the issue of the Shiites was not properly handled.
Speaking with Daily Trust, the Islamic scholar said while he would not support that any group should blackmail the government, the federal government could dialogue with the group less it snowballs into another insurgency.
He said the government would be held responsible for any further breakdown of law and order over the continued protest by members of the IMN who have taken over Abuja since Monday.
Daily Trust reports that the protest for the release of their leader turned violent following the killings of a Deputy Commissioner of Police, a Youth Corps member and some members of the IMN.
According to the cleric, the government should have learnt sufficient lesson from the Boko Haram insurgency which was aggravated by the extra-judicial killing of its leader, Muhammed Yussuf.
He said, “The approach to dousing the tension and preventing catastrophe must be a composite approach. Yes, law and order will inevitably play its role, negotiation will do. Even right now America is talking with the Talibans, it is no longer realistic to say you don’t talk to terrorists.”
Sheikh Ahmad however said government must obey court pronouncements which granted the leader of the Shiites, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky bail.
The Chief Imam said the security agencies are already battling with many challenges and they should not be further overstretched.
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