Barely hours after the 29th of May handover, the Government of Kaduna State led by Governor Nasir El-Rufai has declared the Atyap Community Development Association as an unlawful group in the state as he signed an order to proscribe it.
The proscription order pointed out that the Southern Kaduna association allegedly involved in acts capable of endangering the peace, tranquility, co-existence, and good governance of the state.
A statement by El-Rufai’s spokesman, Muyiwa Adekeye, said the governor signed the Atyap Community Development Association (Proscription) Order, 2023 in the exercise of the powers conferred by Section 60 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law No. 5 of 2017, and Section 5 (2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
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The prescription order became effective on May 24, 2023.
The proscription order noted that Sections 38 and 40 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria guarantee the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion and also the right to the freedom of association and peaceful assembly of all citizens.
Africa Today News, New York had last week reported that leaders of the Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky-led Shi’ites group, otherwise known as Islamic Movement in Nigeria, have reacted to the move by the Kaduna State Urban Planning and Development Authority (KASUPDA) to demolish no fewer than six structures out of 48 belonging to the sect in the state.
The Shi’ite leaders who addressed a press conference in Kaduna Sunday evening after the demolition of the sect’s structures, including schools, hospital and a private residence lambasted Governor Nasir El-Rufai accusing him of pushing the Movement to the wall.
Africa Today News, New York recalls that KASUPDA had in a leaked memo that went viral last week, sought the approval of Governor El-Rufai to carry out pending demolition of structures across the state, including 48 structures belonging to the Zakzaky-led Islamic Movement.
KASUPDA had in the early hours of Sunday carried out the demolition of six of the Shi’ites structures in Kawo, Rigasa, Tudun Wada, and Ungwan Rimi, using security personnel to chase out the occupants of the buildings at unholy hours.