Matching words with action, the Federal Government has published in its official gazette the court order proscribing the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), also known as Shi’ites. Recall that the Federal High Court in Abuja had issued the proscription order on July 26th, ordering the Federal Government to publish the order in its gazette and in two national dailies.
The newspaper publication in two dailies has since been done. A copy of the gazette sighted by our correspondence described it as “Government Notice No. 79”. It is titled, ‘Terrorism (Prevention) Prescription Order Notice, 2019.’ Pages B597 to 602 of the document contained details of the enrolled order of the Federal High Court and the Federal Government’s warning against participating in IMN’sactivities.
The notice read in part, “Notice is hereby given that by the order of the Federal High Court, Abuja, in suit No. FHC/ABJ/Cs/876/2019 dated July 26, 2019, as per the schedule to this notice, the activities of Islamic Movement in Nigeria are declared to be terrorism and illegal in any part of Nigeria, as proscribed, pursuant to Sections 1 and 2 of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2011 (as amended).
“Consequently, the general public is hereby warned that any person or group of persons participating in any manner whatsoever in any form of activities involving or concerning the prosecution of the collective intentions or otherwise of the said group will be violating the provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2011 (as amended) and liable to prosecution.
“(This notice shall be cited as the Terrorism (Prevention) Prescription Order Notice 2019.”
It would be recalled that the Federal Government obtained the ex parte order on Friday last week, barely three days after a bloody clash between members of the group and police in Abuja claimed the lives of a Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, Federal Capital Territory Command, Usman Umar, and a Channels TV journalist, Precious Owolabi.
