ZARIA MASSACRE : Tribute to Shaheed Ibrahim Usman

By Abdullahi Isah Wasagu

Shaheed Ibrahim Usman, a veteran Journalist, Columnist, and active member of the Media Forum of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria. He was indiscriminately killed along side hundreds of brothers and sisters on 13, December, 2015, during Nigerian Army raid on the residence of the revered leader of the Movement, Gyallesu, Zaria.

Unfortunate death of Shaheed Ibrahim Usman was an old-timed target. This is because, he was at Husainiyyah on 12, December, to witness the annual prospective flag raising at the doom of Husainiyyah Baqiyyah, Zaria. He had been targetted right from Husainiyyah by the despotic Nigerian senseless Army when they were deployed at the precincts of the monumental building on 12 December. But to a bid of success, he divinely escaped the ammunition of the Army and returned back to Kaduna. As a spokesman of the leader of the Islamic Movement, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky(H) and the Media Forum, he also left Kaduna for Gyallesu Zaria, resident of the revered leader on 13th December, to have first-hand information on Husainiyyah siege  by the Army on 12th December.



What a surprise and divine awe-inspiration! "Honestly, I am going back to Zaria, to cross martyrdom. I am mindfully and emotionally upset

about the critical condition and situation of Malam(H)."  last utterances by Shaheed Ibraheem Usman to some members of Almizan

Newspaper staff in Kaduna, before his trip.



Shaheed Ibrahim Usman before his martyrdom, was the Chief Admin of the official  website of the Islamic Movement and spokesman of the leader of the stable Movement and Media Forum in general. In Academic excellence, he was a Masters Degree holder in Mass

Communication and Journalism from A.B.U. Zaria and Abroad. He had trip to oversees several times for acquisition of skills and ethics of work in Journalism, conferences, under the sponsorship of Kaduna State Media Corporation. Shaheed Ibrahim was with the revered Sheikh and among the faithful followers of of the leader right from A.B.U. Zaria, in late 70’s during the advent of the Movement in Ahmadu Bello

University.



After the establishment of the popular Almizan Hausa Newspaper of the Movement, Shaheed Usman was the first Cheif Editor of the Newspaper besides late Malam Abubakar Almizan. He also served as Chief Editor of the English voice Newspaper of the Movement, by name, "The Pointer" before the handing over to Abdulmunim Giwa and finally to Bello Hamza. Shaheed Usman once elected and served as Secretary to the N.U.J. Kaduna Branch and once served as spokesman to Asma’u Ahmad Makarfi, wife of former Kaduna state executive Governor, Alhaji Ahmad Makarfi from 1999-2003. He died while serving as a staff to the K.S.M.C. Radio, Kaduna.



The old-timed target and martyrdom of Shaheed Ibrahim Usman was not an astonished endeavour, because he happened to tell me that, "Abdullahi, put more effort to learn how to write and send report, try to know the ethics of Journalism. Now we are contributing our quarter in this Movement, as we are alive and Almighty Allah had bestowed us the ego to contribute with write-ups. One day, we may become martyrs or dead. We have been exposed. We may not escape target when trial comes, and this Movement will not halt only because we are dead. One day, Abdullahi, you are the one to be sending reports on various programmes in Kaduna and environs".



As a matter of fact, I was trained and being motivated on timely bases, regarding sending reports, ethics of reporting in Journalism by

Shaheed Ibrahim Usman. Because, I am a trained Teacher in profession, but found my self in Journal works through Ibrahim Usman. "KAI ! ALLAH YA ISA, ALLAH YA SAKA MANA". When ever I send a report to Ibraheem Usman, as he updated it, will text  me that,  "Check your report in site", so as for me trace the spelling errors and relapses against the future, and in conformity with the ethics of reporting in Journalism. In fact, I become a trier in write-ups regarding Islamic Movement’s activities with motivational incentives of Shaheed Ibrahim Usman.



Regarding his kind and sublime behaviours and characters in office and at home with other members of the Islamic Movement, I was particularly condoled with inexplicable remarks regarding Shaheed Ibrahim Usman. In social networks, I viewed innumerable remarks regarding his kindness, generosity, and working-diligent, in office from his many Christians colleagues.



Shaheed Ibrahim Usman survived by two wives and many children. He lived in Sabon garin T/Wada, Kaduna. May Allah give his family, members of Media Forum and Islamic Movement in general the fortitude to bear for this great loss in Media Forum and in Kaduna.

Kaduna in particular,  Engineer Khalid Isah, Abdulmumin Giwa, Shafi’i Abubakar Wababe,  Aliyu Haydar Zubayr, Aliyu Saleh,  Musa Muhammad Danmahawayi, Abdullahi Isah Wasagu, Sharif Auwal Kaduna. May Allah give you the fortitude to bear for this great loss in Kaduna and environs.

May Allah accept his martyrdom and make paradise to be his final abode. Below are some pictures6 of Shaheed Ibrahim Usman during his trip abroad for studies and conference.