Basic in Nigeria Recounts Dying Sentences of Sham Trial
Maj.-Gen. Zamani Lekwot launched e-book on 1992 non secular violence. (Christian Each day Worldwide-Morning Star Information)
ABUJA, Nigeria (Christian Each day Worldwide–Morning Star Information) – A former Military basic in Nigeria mentioned his demise sentence following riots greater than 30 years in the past was the results of Muslim army leaders controlling a sham tribunal.
Maj.-Gen. Zamani Lekwot, a Christian, spoke on the Nigerian Military Useful resource Centre in Abuja on Nov. 5 for the discharge of his e-book, “Judicial Terrorism,” saying he was sentenced to demise even when courts had declared his conviction fraudulent. He and different Christians leaders topic to “judicial terrorism” have been later freed because of divine windfall, he mentioned.
Lekwot mentioned the roots of the 1992 battle between Christians and Muslims in southern Kaduna state started on Feb. 6 of that yr, when rioting erupted in a market in Zangon Kataf County, inflicting six deaths and property destruction. The federal government arrange a fee of inquiry.
The fee’s report had but to be launched when an Islamic group in Zangon Kataf city petitioned then-Sultan of Sokoto Alhaji Ibrahim Dansuki to do one thing concerning the Muslims who had died out there riot, with the intention of preventing jihadist violence rooted within the perception {that a} Muslim who kills or dies in jihad goes to heaven, Lekwot mentioned.
Copies of the petition have been despatched to the Kaduna governor, the emir of Zaria, different emirs in northern states and safety businesses, he mentioned.
“Nevertheless, abruptly on Friday, fifteenth Could 1992, I used to be instructed the authors of the petition attacked Afabwang village, the closest atyap [traditional chiefdom of the Atyap people] village to them and precipitated mayhem,” Lekwot mentioned. “The information unfold like wildfire, and the entire group grew to become emotionally charged, culminating within the conflict which precipitated lack of lives and property on either side.”
As an alternative of ordering an investigation to determine the info, 61 individuals together with tribal chiefs, senior pastors and different outstanding residents have been arrested and thrown into jail on the orders of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, head of the army junta. The orders adopted the shock go to on Could 26, 1992 of Babangida, whom Lekwot referred to by the identify of the presidential palace website, Aso Rock Abuja, “when he wept and declared these liable for the destruction responsible,” Lekwot mentioned. “That was the narrative that culminated within the atyap’s persecution by Aso Rock. No Hausa/Fulani man, who began all of it, was arrested.”
Lekwot mentioned the army junta in energy on the time tried to position them on trial twice. The primary trial introduced 4 prices – illegal meeting, rioting, armed rioting and disturbing the peace, he mentioned.
“Nevertheless, because the case was a charade with out substance, the lawyer basic of the federation utilized a nolle prosequi [abandonment of charges], and we have been discharged however not acquitted,” Lekwot mentioned. “Instantly thereafter, we have been re-arrested and returned to the Kaduna jail on the orders of the tribunal chairman.”
Within the second trial, 18 prices have been added to the unique 4 though the nolle prosequi was nonetheless in place, “which was very weird,” he mentioned. Lekwot’s attorneys sought justice for him and the opposite defendants at a Kaduna excessive court docket.
“Shamelessly, nonetheless, Aso Rock shocked everybody by confirming that the tribunal was on a mission to ship us to the gallows come what might,” Lekwot mentioned, including that on Dec. 3, 1992, they have been barred from interesting by Decree No. 55.
His attorneys withdrew from the case in protest, and the tribunal chairman refused the defendants’ request for one more protection workforce, stating that solely Aso Rock Abuja (the presidential administration) might grant it, he mentioned.
“Consequently, he later condemned us to demise by hanging, with out truthful listening to, based mostly on the prosecution’s false prices in opposition to us, which our protection workforce had discredited,” Lekwot mentioned. “What a travesty of justice in a rustic that’s speculated to be the hope of the Black race. When our legal professionals lastly obtained to the Supreme Court docket, the case was struck out due to Aso Rock’s refusal to launch the judgment report. The identical factor occurred throughout the Oputa Panel sittings, when the judgment report was demanded to no avail.”
Following public outcry in opposition to the gross injustice, the sentences have been commuted to 5 years imprisonment, Lekwot mentioned. Human rights group The Constitutional Rights Challenge filed a case with the African Fee on Human Rights in Banjul, Gambia, which led to nullification of their convictions and imprisonments, he mentioned.
“The trial was nullified in October 1994 as a result of gross violation of the African constitution, et al,” Lekwot mentioned. “We subsequently stay ever grateful to them for his or her commendable empathy. In essence, there was no trial in the actual sense of the phrase. What the venal tribunal did merely tarnished the nice fame of our judiciary, which was clearly the one on trial all through the trial and never us. What a grotesque factor to do which clearly protrayed Nigeria in unhealthy mild with out compunction.”
If you need to assist persecuted Christians, go to https://morningstarnews.org/assets/aid-agencies/ for an inventory of organizations that may orient you on how one can become involved.
Should you or your group want to assist allow Morning Star Information to proceed elevating consciousness of persecuted Christians worldwide with original-content reporting, please think about collaborating at https://morningstarnews.org/donate/?
###
© 2024 Christian Each day Worldwide-Morning Star Information. Articles/pictures could also be reprinted with credit score to Christian Each day Worldwide-Morning Star Information. https://morningstarnews.org
Tweet: https://twitter.com/morningstarnewz/
Fb: https://www.fb.com/MorningStarNews
Morning Star Information is a 501(c)(3) non-profit company that depends solely on contributions to supply authentic information experiences of persecuted Christians. By offering dependable information on the struggling church, Morning Star Information’ mission is to empower these within the free world to assist and to encourage persecuted Christians that they aren’t forgotten or alone. At no cost subscription, contact [email protected]; to make tax-deductible donations, go to https://morningstarnews.org/donate/? or ship test to Morning Star Information, 34281 Doheny Park Rd., # 7022, Capistrano Seaside, CA 92624, USA.
The put up Basic in Nigeria Recounts Dying Sentences of Sham Trial appeared first on Morningstar Information.
