The House of Representatives has opted to conduct a public hearing on the December 12/13 clash between soldiers and members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria in Zaria, which led to the loss of lives.
Findings by The PUNCH on Wednesday showed that the new move had overtaken an initial plan by the House to receive the report of its committee investigating the clash this week.
The House Committee on National Security and Intelligence has been conducting the investigation.
It is headed by an All Progressives Congress lawmaker, Mr. Aminu Sani-Jaji.
The PUNCH learnt that rather than laying the report as earlier planned, the committee would expand its work by holding a public hearing.
“The reason is to still subject this crisis to public opinion.
“The House wants to get views of a wider segment of Nigerians on the clash before it can come to a safe conclusion on the way forward”, a legislative official told The PUNCH in Abuja.
Many lives were lost in Zaria on December 12 and 13 when members of the Islamic sect, otherwise known as Shi’ites, clashed with soldiers.
The Shi’ites were said to have blocked the motorcade of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai, in Zaria, a development which led to the clash.
The Speaker of the House, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, had immediately intervened by asking the Committee on National Security and Intelligence to investigate the clash.
The Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Abdulrazak Namdas, confirmed to The PUNCH on Wednesday that the committee would no longer lay any report this week as earlier expected.
“The committee will still conduct a public hearing before producing the report.
“I am aware that they have taken the testimonies of security heads and other stakeholders, but the report will come after the public hearing.
“The hearing should start in another one week”, Namdas stated.
Findings indicated that the committee had already taken testimonies from Buratai.
It also met with the Acting Director-General of the Department of State Services, Mr. Lawal Daura, and held a separate meeting with representatives of the Shi’ites.
All the meetings were held behind closed doors.
It was gathered that at the meeting with Buratai, members were briefed on the “security implications” of the action of the group.
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