NIGERIA: NIGER STATE POLICE ARREST THOUSANDS IN

UNCLAS ABUJA 001518 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/W, INR/AA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PHUM KIRF KISL NI SUBJECT: NIGERIA: NIGER STATE POLICE ARREST THOUSANDS IN RAID ON ISLAMIC SECT REF: ABUJA 1436 SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Niger State security forces raided the Darul Islam compound on August 15. Press reports indicate police arrested approximately 4,000 people and detained them for questioning. Although the operation was peaceful, religious leaders and human rights activists allege that the GON violated the rights of innocent people. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) Darul Islam, an Islamic sect led by Amrul Bashir Abdullahi, settled in Niger State, 17 years ago with the goal to dedicate themselves to strict adherence of the Quran and isolate themselves from distractions in mainstream society. Nigerian press dailies reported that on August 15 a combined team of police, immigration, and prison officers raided the Darul Islam compound located near Mokwa in Niger State (about 100 kilometers outside state capital Minna). State Police Commissioner Mike Zuokumor told local press that police acted after receiving reports that the sect was forcibly holding women and children. State Police Public Relations Officer Richard Oguche added that action was taken to prevent a re-occurrence of crisis similar to those caused by Boko Haram two weeks earlier. Members of the sect co-operated with the security officers and as a result no deaths or injuries occurred. Local press claim at least 200 foreigners from Niger and Sudan were among those arrested. ¶3. (SBU) Austin Njoku of the National Human Rights Commission told PolOff August 18 that women and children were housed in the Government Technical College Mokwa while police investigated the compound. Police did not find any weapons. Njoku claimed sect leaders were transported to Abuja for questioning, but did not know the charges against them or if they had lawyers. He also claimed many Darul Islam members are "migrants" and maintained the GON acted reasonably and in the best interest of the children by evacuating the community. Other observers, however, including Executive Director of the Human Rights Monitor, Festus Okoye, alleged the GON may have violated the constitutional and human rights of thousands of innocent people. MCCULLOUGH