http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2009/08/2009816174034746206.html
Sunday, August 16, 2009
21:49 Mecca time, 18:49 GMT
Nigerian police raid sect premises
The latest crackdown came weeks after Boko Haram violence killed
about 800 people [AFP]
Nigerian police have detained hundreds of people belonging to an Islamic
community in the state of Niger.
The arrests on Saturday came weeks after a radical sect killed almost 800
people in the north of the country.
About 1,500 police officers backed by reinforcements from the capital, Abuja,
had surrounded the compound of the Darul Islam community on the edge of the
town of Mokwa early on Saturday, said Mike Zuokumor, Niger state police chief.
"We received a series of reports about the activities of the sect from
neighbouring communities, the local government and the emirate (traditional
leader)," Zuokumor said.
"Some of them were expressing apprehension concerning the activities of the
group and it is our duty to ensure law and order among the citizens of the
state."
Peaceful arrests
Clashes three weeks ago between security forces and members of an Islamist sect
called Boko Haram killed close to 800 people in the northeastern city of
Maiduguri, more than 800km away from Niger state.
The government ordered an investigation into the violence after Mohammed Yusuf,
Boko Haram's leader, was captured by security forces and killed in custody.
Saturday's arrests were peaceful and no shots were fired.
Amrul Bashir Abdullahi, the leader of Darul Islam originally from the northern
state of Kano, said after being detained that he had lived in Mokwa for 17
years.
"We are not against Western education as we are being accused, but we have our
own belief which is not in any way an infringement of the state authorities,"
Abdullahi said.
Societal problems
"We decided to create a camp for ourselves outside the community because of the
problems in the larger society. These are problems of corruption, drunkenness,
prostitution and so on which Allah forbids."
Zuokumor said police wanted to find out more about the beliefs of Darul Islam
and that any members found to be from neighbouring countries would be deported.
He said police had received reports that Darul Islam was forcibly holding women
to be the wives of sect members.
Local media said as many as 3,000 people were believed to live in Darul Islam
community.
Male members dress in white robes while its women are fully covered in black.
Nigeria's 140 million population is divided between Christians in the south,
and Muslims mainly in the north, where 12 of the 36 states adopted sharia
(Islamic law) in 2000.
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