Zaria clash: Panel gives Shiites deadline to submit memorandum

The Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the December 12, 2015 Army/Shiites clash in Zaria, Kaduna State has given the sect up to March 21, 2016 to submit its memorandum to the panel.
A statement signed by the commission’s Secretary, Bala Babj, on Monday in Kaduna, after the panel adjourned sitting till March 21, said the memorandum would form the basis for the sect’s appearance before the panel.
It noted that the panel had sat for four weeks out of the six weeks allotted to complete its assignment, adding: “Consequently, we deem it imperative for the work of the commission to now proceed in earnest.”
The statement said it was imperative for the Islamic Movement of Nigeria to submit its memorandum ahead of hearing commencing on March 21.
It said: “The commission has strived hard to afford all parties to be fairly represented and treated with justice and fairness in all its deliberations.”
During the sitting, the Chairman of the commission, Justice Muhammadu Lawal-Garba, said the panel would officially begin proper proceedings on March 21 “whether IMN has access to its leader or not.
“We give another opportunity to allow IMN to see their leader because the application for adjournment is supported by all the parties appearing before the panel.”
Earlier, the panel’s lead counsel, Yunus Ustaz-Usman (SAN), had said all efforts to get access to the sect’s leader, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, had failed.
Ustaz-Usman said: “We did the best we could, but because of the busy schedule of the Attorney General of the Federation, we could not go through him.
“But we met with the Attorney General of Kaduna State, who spoke to the Attorney General of the Federation on phone in our presence.
“We were in Abuja for four days, trying to see him, but he was too busy and before we knew it, he flew out of the country.
“We are still very optimistic that the Attorney General of the Federation will facilitate IMN counsel access to the leader of IMN.
“This is how far we have gone.
“In this circumstance, we crave for the commission’s indulgence for another opportunity, the last opportunity, for the IMN counsel to get access to their client.”
Both counsel to the Army and that of IMN, Biola Oyebanji and Maxwell Kyon respectively, supported the application for adjournment.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the panel had adjourned sitting three times – February 22, February 29 and March 14 – to allow counsel to the sect have access to El-Zakzaky.
NAN.