Read what Shiites did in Kaduna to protest El-Zakzaky’s detention
– Reactions trail the detention of Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, the leader of Islamic Movement of Nigeria
– Protesters vow never to have any further dealings with the Judicial commission of Inquiry set up by the Kaduna state government
– They call for the unconditional release of El-Zakzaky
Report credited to The Punch has it that a massive protest was carried out today, Thursday, March 3, in Kaduna state, as members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), otherwise known as Shiites, thronged the streets to protest the prolonged detention of their leader, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, his wife and other members of the movement.
They protested from the ever-busy Leventis Roundabout up to Kano Road in the heart of the city.
El-Zakzaky, his wife and several members of the movement have been detained since December 2015 when they clashed with the Nigerian Army in Zaria, Kaduna state.
However, the protesting members vowed never to have any further dealings with the Judicial commission of Inquiry set up by the Kaduna state government.
READ ALSO: Army Would Not Tolerate Acts Of Impunity – Buratai
According to them, they would to continue the protest until El-Zakzaky and others released unconditionally.
The spokesperson of the Youth Wing of the IMN, which organised the protest, Abdulhamid Bello, said they would continue to be non-violent, peaceful and abide by the laws of the land in the pursuit of their demand.
He said: “It is now a matter of common knowledge that a legal team led by Femi Falana (SAN) and Festus Okoye have made more than four fruitless attempts to see our leader so as speak with him for the purposes of submitting memorandum to the Judiciary Commission of Inquiry and his appearance before the said Commission.
“Femi Falana, Festus Okoye and other members of the legal team of the movement has visited the headquarters of the Directorate of State Security on more than four occasions based on the invitation of the DSS for the purpose of having audience with the leader and all the visits yielded no result.
“It is therefore clear that there is a laid out plan to prevent the legal team of the movement from having access to its leader, its spokesperson and the custodian of its properties.”
READ ALSO: Shiite Members Raise Alarm Over Renewed Clampdown
On Saturday, December 12, a road, which is the only artery out of Zaria, Kaduna state, towards Sokoto state, was reportedly obstructed by the Shiites. Lt. General Buratai the army chief’s convoy came down to negotiate a passage, but was unsuccessful.
The army claim that Lt. General Buratai himself then alighted from his vehicle to negotiate passage, and this was when the alleged stoning and murder attempt began.
Later reports suggested that over the following two days, the army attacked Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, the leader of the Shiites, at his residence.
Sources say there were gunshots and explosions through the day and night, and by the end of Sunday, December 13, reports came through that Muhammad Turi, Zakzaky’s deputy, had been killed. Also reported were the deaths of Zakzaky, his wife, a son, and some other senior members of the group were detained by the army.
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