NewsRescue
We recently published an exclusive article that revealed classified intelligence on an elaborate plot by the Nigerian army to accuse Boko Haram and the Kaduna state government in the December Zaria massacre that saw as many as 1000 minority Muslims and other passersby killed. We are unable to verify the role if true of Boko Haram in the incident.
The concept is to paint an effort by Boko Haram to undermine the war against it and the Army chief in particular, by “creating and perpetrating the whole Zaria massacre event.”
In the publication, we mentioned specifically that articles will be sponsored gradually to promote this new idea in effort by the army to make the scandal go away. We promised to relay these articles to our readers when we find them. We have started identifying them.
In one written by Yushau Shuaib, ‘5th columnists’ were fingered in the entire crisis. The article went on to point fingers at elements in Kaduna and its government that pushed a notion of the Zakzaky movement as being “a nuiscance” and participated in actively decimating the IMN while “framing” and “implicating” the Army chief.
The article went as far as suggesting that possible Boko Haram elements infiltrated the Shia gathering, and these were the ones that provoked and propelled the deadly violence (by attacking the army and also killing the Shia Muslims). It also fingered the Kaduna el-Rufai government for its “speedy demolition” of Shia structures.
Quotes:
“The release also alluded to the existence of fifth columnists in the system when it added that “the Nigerian Army has identified some of the officers involved and their collaborators. The officers are being investigated to unravel their motive and motivation.
“Going by those warnings and alerts, could it not be possible that some undesirable elements infiltrated the protesters in Zaria by acting the ugly script since the Shiite group are claiming that they had been holding such processions and demonstrations for more than 30 years? Can the speedy action of Kaduna State Government in the demolitions of Shiite’s places have other motives? Apart from the military presence could there be some unknown forces remotely triggering the reported carnage? Were some members of the community who are now blaming the Shiites for nuisance in Zaria be directly or indirectly involved in the whole shoddy incident?”
Yushau had referenced several public warnings given by the army months before the Zaria massacre of an imminent plot to frustrate the army anti-Boko Haram war effort and the army chief in particular.
‘”Finally, on November 23, 2015, the Army issued an alert on impending smear campaign by some disgruntled elements. The release clearly stated that “The Nigerian Army has received report of some elements both within the Nigerian Army and outside… to ridicule the Nigerian Army and the person of the Chief of Army Staff for reasons best known to them. They intend to execute this plan as from next month, December 2015, using all means possible….”’ See the quote from Yushau’s article also in Press release of November 23rd
While eyewitnesses account how the army emptied IMN members’ motorcycles for petrol to burn the buildings, the new story being painted has it that the IMN threw lit petrol bottles accidentally on themselves.
A second article just published by Johnson Obioha on Naij.com, a recent writer for the Nigerian army, pushed the same new concept.
In the article, captioned: “Army, Shiites clash: The untold narrative,” Johnson likewise proposed a Boko Haram- Kaduna government and/or other local and foreign elements deeper plot.
While berating the Amnesty International damning report on behalf of the Nigerian army as being “biased,” Johnson went as far as fingering the director-general of Kaduna state Interfaith Agency, Mr. Namadi Musa who admitted the burial of 347 in the Mando mass grave as “a well-crafted sequence, created to extricate some vested individuals from the mess and with the ultimate aim of elevating the Nigerian Army to the podium of the aggressor.”
Johnson further said:
“Notwithstanding the motive behind the likely pre-emptive move by the schemers, the timing and manner of the 360-degree turnaround by the state government, has raised a lot of suspicion about their intentions. The testimony has raised a lot of questions that are begging for answers: who were the perpetrators of this evil act? Was the Army solely behind the alleged killings? Were there other interested parties behind the scene? Was there an incitement, a plot and plan by some powerful forces other than the Shiites and Army, who exploited the situation to cause mayhem and exact maximum revenge? How culpable were the IMN leadership in creating the deadly confrontation?”
Johnson went on to point to the alleged anger of Governor Nasir el-Rufai when he was “pelted with water by members of the IMN.” He said,
“Notwithstanding the motive behind the likely pre-emptive move by the schemers, the timing and manner of the 360-degree turnaround by the state government, has raised a lot of suspicion about their intentions. The testimony has raised a lot of questions that are begging for answers: who were the perpetrators of this evil act? Was the Army solely behind the alleged killings? Were there other interested parties behind the scene? Was there an incitement, a plot and plan by some powerful forces other than the Shiites and Army, who exploited the situation to cause mayhem and exact maximum revenge? How culpable were the IMN leadership in creating the deadly confrontation? “
Further implicating the Kaduna state government thus
‘“It was a joint operation of all the security forces in the state and not just the Nigerian Army,” said one of the intelligent personnel, adding “even the bulldozers used to demolish the Shiite settlement were supplied by the Kaduna State government”.’
Johnson concluded by raising the concept that “whatever person or group is behind it should be brought to book”:
“Ultimately, what most Nigerians and the rest of the world would want is for anyone or group found liable for the violence, including the IMN leadership, to be brought to justice. However, care must be taken to ensure that the process will not be ‘spinned’ to punish the innocent in order to achieve a grand plan of derailing the counter-terrorism efforts and as well as covering the truth behind the death of Nigerian citizens.”
The same Johnson “Untold narrative” story in Naij is also published in theCable.
It is recollected that two weeks to the Zaria massacre, on November 27th, suspected Boko Haram terrorists bombed a Shia procession. The movement resiliently announced after the bombing that the attack will not deter them from their processions and further pointed fingers at the DSS and foreign agencies in the plot to suppress the movement.
We promise to keep NewsRescue readers around the world most informed about the truth, plots and counter ploys in their best safety and security interests.