A civil society organisation, the Coalition for Nigeria, has linked the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) popularly known as Shiitees to a dreaded Boko Haram terror group, Islamic State of West Africa (ISWAP).
The Coalition, which called on the Nigerian government to outlaw the IMN, also alleged that the movement is being sponsored by the Iranian government to cause chaos in Nigeria.
“IMN’s leaders, from Sheik Ibraheem El Zakzaky to those at the lower rungs of leadership of this religious extremist or violent sect, have never hidden its affiliation to ISIS and the Republic of Iran. All have boasted publicly and at different times of importing the Iranian Shia ideology into Nigeria and the West Africa sub-region.
“The hesitance of the FGN to declare IMN a terrorist group is responsible for its sustained acts of threats to public security and safety,” the coalition said.