Micro Analysis- The Sacking of Darul-Islam in Nigeria; Week # 82; Dated 22nd-28th Aug; Zone 2-Africa

Micro Analysis- The Sacking of Darul-Islam in Nigeria

A team of 1,500 armed policemen, operatives of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), State Security Services and Nigeria Immigration Service invaded the base of the Darul-Islam (Land of Islam) group in Mokwa Local Government Area, Nigeria last week evacuating 3000 members of the group who had resided there in isolation for the past 17 years. A security source said no weapons were found at the sect's enclave.

The raid was conducted on the orders of President Umaru Yar'adua following a letter by the Niger State government complaining that the activities of the sect were inimical to the peace and stability of the state and the country. This incident came in the wake of the violence last moth triggered by the Islamic sect Boko Harem in the Northern provinces though no link has been found between the two sects. The move has been widely condemned by human rights activists and the civil society alike.

The state police commissioner, Mike Zuokumor, told journalists that security reports labeled their activities as 'un-Islamic' and that they had not been "co-operating" with their neighbors. He described them as 'a threat to the security of not only Niger State but the country as a whole'. But on the other hand, another security report quoted in reports described the group as 'non- violent'.

The recent experience in handling the Boko Haram uprising has also put the country in the lime light with reports of high levels of extra- judicial killings allegedly carried out by men of the Nigeria police. Analysts criticize that the de facto invasion of the Darul- Islam enclave was wrongly conceived and badly executed, and was a clear violation of people's right to worship. Recent reports suggest that compensation is going to be provided for the dislocated group. However speculations are still abound as to the damaging consequences of government paranoia.

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Discussion Questions:

· Given the recent upheaval in the country, is the Nigerian government’s extreme caution justifiable?

· Would such extreme measures have been taken, on the basis of said security reports, had the Boko Haram incident not preceded it?

· Could the nature of this government paranoia have actually precipitated the state of insecurity in the country in the first place?

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