SAN FRANCISCO, April 17, (THEWILL) – In the last few weeks, there have been increased protests in Abuja, calling for the release of the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Ibrahim El-Zakzaky and his wife.
The IMN, also called Shiites has been embroiled in these series of protests in Abuja, Kaduna, and other states after the Department of State Services (DSS) detained its leader, following its clash with the Nigerian Army in Zaria, Kaduna State in 2015.
In the conflict, the soldiers were alleged to have killed more than 300 members of the group. It was further alleged that five of the six sons of the Shiites’ leader was killed.
However, it is worrisome that El-Zakzaky is still being incarcerated despite multiple court orders ordering his release.
Sect members continued their protest in Abuja this week, where some members were wounded and arrested during a clash with the police. Reports said at least 150 of the protesters were detained. Early reports of fatalities during the clash were debunked by the police.
The protest followed the earlier one that the group staged at the Aso Villa gate. Over time, the Shiites had lost several of its members during similar protests. It is unacceptable that they should continue to be killed for exercising their rights.
The Federal Government must prevent this carnage by immediately ordering the cleric’s release.
According to the Secretary, Academic Forum of the Islamic Movement, Abdullahi Musa, they took their protest to the State House in Abuja, to establish its members’ determination for their leader’s release as ordered by the courts.
THEWILL herein joins in the calls for the release of El-Zakzaky as pronounced by the judiciary.
The executive arm of government under President Muhammadu Buhari cannot continue to disobey orders of a competent court as this is akin to re-enacting dictatorship, which was the hallmark of his administration when he was a military Head of State in the 80s.
We find it incongruous that the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, had in response to public demand for El-Zakzaky’s freedom declared that the DSS was holding him in protective custody.
We recall that Buhari had in a public statement declared that El-Zakzaky is a security threat to the country. According to him, the sect leader was presiding over a state within a state.
If indeed El-Zakzaky is a security threat, the president should, in the principle of separation of powers, seek approval of the court to continue to keep him in custody legally.
THEWILL cautions that El-Zakzaky’s continued detention in this manner is unconstitutional and an infringement of his fundamental human rights.
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