Nigeria’s Shiites are a persecuted religious minority 

By Ayo Akinfe 

(1) Over the last fortnight, we have witnessed the beginning of what could become another armed insurgency as the Shiite Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) have stepped up their fight against the federal government over the continued incarceration of their leader Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky 

(2) Contrary to the government propaganda being put out, the IMN started off as a peaceful organisation trying to win over converts just like say Winners Chapel or RCCG but alas, the Nigerian state launched a war of terror against them. Hundreds of innocent Shiites have been gunned down in cold blood, with El-Zakzaky himself losing his three sons, while he and his wife remain in detention despite numerous court orders that they be released on bail 

(3) Like any minority, be it Ogini’s or sexual minorities like lesbians and gays, Nigeria’s Shiites are victims of what I call the tyranny of the majority. Basically, the establishment does not like the fact that they challenge the status quo so has decided to crack down on them. I fear that the Shiite movement could develop into another Boko Haram because they too started out campaigning peacefully until they were fired upon and the narrative changed 

(4) Shiites account for about 15% of Muslims worldwide and their outlook differs from that of the Sunni majority in that they believe Prophet Muhammad designated Ali ibn Abi Talib as his successor and the Imam after him. Shiites are also not big on performing the annual hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina, hence why the powers-that-be in Saudi Arabia do not like them. If every Muslim became Shiite, just imagine what would happen to Saudi Arabia’s economy 

(5) Now in Nigeria, about 5% of the Muslim population is Shiite, making them an infinitesimal minority. Shiites do not hold any positions in the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) and the Sunni’s will never allow them to produce say a chief imam of Abuja, Kano, Kaduna or Bauchi mosques

(6) Shiite Islam was almost unknown in Nigeria until the 1980s, when Sheikh El-Zakzaky introduced it. He quickly gained a following among those Muslims disenchanted with the political and religious establishment, kind of similar to the way Usman Dan Fodio did when he launched his jihad in 1803. Dan Fodio campaigned against the uncaring nature of the Muslim rulers of the Hausa City states and El-Zakzaky found similar fertile ground for his campaign due to the greed of Nigeria’s rulers 

(7) Saudi Arabia’s Sunni politicians are obviously very close with the Nigerian Muslim establishment, so it is no surprise that Abuja will back them against the Shiites. For instance, the Salafist movement Izala Society, is close to both Riyadh and Abuja and its satellite television channel Manara often broadcasts anti-Shiite sectarian propaganda. In 2007, the Sokoto State government, which is home to the Nigerian Sunni establishment demolished the Shiites Islamic Centre, in an act of blatant persecution and vandalism 

(8) I for one am very perturbed about the violence of the last few days and fear that this could escalate into another Boko Haram crisis. Iran will not hesitate to supply the IMN with arms, so we have to avoid this at all means. I think the sensible thing for the government to do would be to release Sheikh El-Zakzaky, drop all charges against the IMN, compensate all those who lost their lives and grant the Shiites equal status as Sunnis in the Nigerian Muslim community 

(9) I find it very rich that the Nigerian Muslim establishment is labelling the Shiites violent and terrorists when 99% of the killings of innocent Nigerians have been carried out by Sunnis. Boko Haram, Macban and the Fulani herdsmen are all Sunnis, so please, we are not taking lessons from them on non-violence. How come El-Zakzaky is in detention but all the Macban leaders are free? 

(10) Remember the saying from the German Lutheran pastor Martin Niemöller, who wrote on 1946: 

“First they came for the communists and I did not speak out because I was not a Communist

Then they came for the socialist and I did not speak out because I was not a socialist

Then they came for the trade unionist and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist

Then they came for the Jews and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew

Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me

All those of you turning a blind eye to the plight of the Shiites are not waking up to the reality that the establishment could come after you tomorrow. If they smash the Shiites, what stops them going after Pentecostal churches tomorrow?