Human right activist and lawyer to the leader of the Islamic Movement on Nigeria, (IMN), Mr Femi Falana, (SAN) has in a statement condemned the action of the Federal Government to proscribe the Shiite group, describing it as illegal and immoral.
The senior lawyer believes that the order is particularly opportunistic on the part of the Sunnis occupying public offices to use the instrumentality of the state to liquidate the Shiites.
Falana explained that he secured an Appeal Court judgment on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari and his defunct political party, All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) in 2003 after the police allegedly unleashed violent attacks on Nigerians protesting in Kano against the alleged rigging of the 2003 General Elections.
According to him, the police had accused the protesters of not obtaining a police permit before their demonstration.
Mr Falana said at that time, the justices of the Court of Appeal unanimously held that the rights of Nigerians to protest against the policies of the government was part of the freedom of expression guaranteed by the Constitution.
He, therefore, asked the government to withdraw the proscription order, insisting that it would not stand as the fundamental right of the Shiites to freedom of religion was constitutionally guaranteed.
