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IMN Shiites strike conciliatory tone, offer dialogue with Nigerian govt ‘without condition’

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The Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) has said that the movement is ready for dialogue with the Federal Government without conditions.

IMN interim leader, Yakubu Yahaya, made this comment on Saturday in Katsina at a press conference in place of the usual symbolic procession to mark the Arba’een (40th) day of the murder of Imam Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad who was killed on the 10th of Muharam.

He stated that Shiites understood the government despite the fact that the government had failed to understand the movement.

“Our doors are open for dialogue with the government and whoever wants to dialogue with us. Our doors are open anytime, without condition for dialogue. Because we understand the government, it is the government that doesn’t understand us. If they seek our hands of friendship, we are ever ready,” he said.

READ ALSO: Tension in Abuja ahead of Shiites’ planned protests on Saturday

“We are peace-loving people. And we have no country other than Nigeria, so we won’t allow anybody to use us to destabilise the peace of the country.

“We are not fighting the government because we understand them but it is the government who is fighting and attacking us because they don’t understand our religion.

“Our religion permits us to rally during the observation of our various occasional events so if they agree that we have a religion they should allow us to practice our religion the way we understand it. If there is a law or verse from the Holy Book that prohibits our activities they should prove it to us.”

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