Court rules in favour of IMN members, orders release of their seized properties
Story from Aliyu MUHAMMAD, Kaduna
The Kaduna State High Court has ruled in favour of the Islamic Movement In Nigeria (IMN) also known as Shiite Group that the seized items from their members which include vehicles, motorcycles among others be released to them.
The case with file number KDH/KAD/1131/21 between Mohammed Auwal Yakubu and others versus the Commissioner of Police, came before Justice Amina Bello of the Kaduna High Court some months ago with the plaintiffs pleading for the release of their seized items.
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It could be recalled that members of the Islamic sect on Saturday, 12th December 2015 clashed with men of the Nigerian Army in Zaria, Kaduna, an incident that led to the death of some members of the religious sect during which some of their members were arrested and items seized.
While the Nigerian Army accused the Shiite followers of attempting to assassinate the then Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai, the Shiite movement said the soldiers simply decided to attack the “defenceless people.”
Counsel to the plaintiff, Barrister Mark Abbo, noted that over 80 items comprising vehicles, tricycles and some motorcycles were seized from members of the movement.
“The case has to do with the seizure of vehicles belonging to members of the Shiite movement in 2015 by men of the Nigerian Army.
“You know a good number of them were arrested, tried and discharged. But despite their discharge, their seized items were still being held on by the state. We wrote severally to the state to release the siezed items, in view of the fact that the suspects have been discharged, when they didn’t comply with our request for the release of the siezed items, we had to approach the court by way of originating summon.
“Thank God, the presiding judge, Justice Amina Ahmad Bello of court 11 Kaduna State has ruled in our favour and has ordered that the siezed items be released to us,” Abbo said.
