consists of several denominations as well. Surely, Muslims are aware of this fact, but this
cannot be said of other Nigerians who assume that Islam has one identity. It doesn’t. Islam is
made up of the Sunni, Sufi, Shia, Khawarij, and other denominations, with Sunni and Shia as the
two major denominations.
According to Huda, an expert of Islam, “both Sunni and Shia Muslims share the most
fundamental Islamic beliefs and articles of faith.” Making up about 75 to 90 percent of all
Muslims, the Sunni’s are the largest denomination in Islam. They go
by the name Ahl as-Sunnah,
meaning “people of the tradition of Muhammad.” The Shiites – Shiatu Ali, which means the
party or followers of Ali, is the second largest branch of Islam. They account for 10 to 20
percent of all Muslims.
Nigeria is predominantly a Sunni-majority country, and the arrest of Zakzaky has sparked
protests across Nigeria by Shiite Muslims, who are a significant minority in the country.
Ibrahim Yaqoub El Zakzaky ,born May 5,1953, is an outspoken and foremost Shi'a
Muslim cleric in Nigeria.
He is the head of Nigeria's Islamic Movement, a movement that he founded in the late 1970s,
when he was a student at Ahmadu Bello University, and began propagating Shia Islam around
1979, at the time of the Iranian revolution—which saw Iran’s monarchy overthrown and replaced
with an Islamic republic under Ayatollah Khomeini . Zakzaky believed that the establishment of
a republic along similar religious lines in Nigeria would be feasible. He has been detained
several times due to accusations of civil disobedience or recalcitrance under military regimes in
Nigeria during the 1980s and 1990s, and is still viewed with suspicion or as a threat by Nigerian
authorities. In December 2015, the Nigerian Army raided his residence in Zaria, seriously injured
him, and killed hundreds of his followers; since then, he has remained under state detention in
the nation's capital pending his release, which was ordered in late 2016.
He studied at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria (1976-1979), where he earned a first-class
bachelor's degree in Economics. The degree was denied to him by the university authorities due
to his Islamic activities. During his university days, he was active in student Islamic unionism.
On Friday 25 July 2014, the Nigerian Army reportedly fatally shot 35 followers of Ibrahim
Zakzaky, including three of his sons, after a pro-Palestinian procession in Zaria. The UK
Islamic Human Rights Commission published the report Zaria Massacres and the Role of the
Military in October 2014.
Sheikh al-Zakzaky was injured and arrested along with his wife, in the 2015 Zaria massacre , in
which three of his remaining sons, as well as hundreds of his followers, were killed by the
Nigerian Army.
He is married to Zeenah Ibraheem, with whom he had nine children. Currently, only three of
his children (one son and two daughters) are living. Three of his sons were killed in the Zaria
Quds Day massacres in 2014. Three more sons were killed in the 2015 Zaria massacre .
In 2018, barely 24 hours after a News platform, Oak Tv, published a footage of Nigeria’s minister of
information, Lai Mohammed, the platform has apologised for doing so.
The platform Wednesday released a video of Mohammed making a claim that Nigeria
government spends about N3.5 million monthly to feed a Shiite cleric, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, while
addressing some journalists.
GUYS, WHAT DO YOU THINK?
.........
FACEBOOK COMMENTS
View previous comments…Endy Edeson
@Charles: That's right. He ought to have released him following court orders. Just like Ahile said, this will reduce his votes in 2019 from Shiite Muslims
Jamiu Lawal
Fundamental issues that are only known by people who are involve..
..... The contributions here are just Eye witnesses speculations...
..... The contributions here are just Eye witnesses speculations...
Sedric De Aviero
Thumbs up Endy Edeson..
I always look forward to reading your posts.. They are very informative..
Keep the good work up
I always look forward to reading your posts.. They are very informative..
Keep the good work up
Endy Edeson
@Sedric; Thanks so much brother. I really appreciate. I wish you the best in your career as well.
Anthony Christopher Chukwudi
The FG should please obey court order and release the man, that way we won't create another BH terrorist group in this country!
Akintoye Adebareh Abdul Akeem
I'm against any authoritarian behaviour. How ever, Shiite is a problem, this write up did not explain their behavior, these people don't respect any authority they block road at will etc.
Justice Ofolete
Akintoye is very correct. Any individual or group that can stand up and challenge a nations military and constituted authorities is a great threat to the nation. Shiites activities are anti govt thereby shouldn't be condone. There was a time Mr President said national security supersedes the rule of law, opposition and some stupid lawyers who are corrupt and the biggest threat to our judiciary were shouting foul, but the president was right in all sense of it. Our judges don't take cognisance of the fact that national security supersedes the rule of law before giving judgements which is detrimental to the security of our nation. please Endy, educate your followers about nation building also not just passing out information to the public.
Azubuike Christian Odoemelam
But will he die in prison for nothing, I thank God for Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. IPOB CAN NEVER BE CRUSHED BY MERE MORTALS LIKE BUHARI.
Jerry Maka
🚶🚶🚶🚶🚶🚶 just passing
