By Our Correspondent
The Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) has decried continued detention of its leader, Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky and his wife, Malama Zeenat, against the court order.
The IMN, which raised concern over the failing state of health of the duo in Kaduna Prison, said its leader and his wife have been in the “illegal detention” for 2000 days.
Prof. S. A. Maigandi, a senior member of the group also known as Shiites, stated this in Abuja at a press briefing to mark their 2000 days in detention titled: “2000 DAYS’ ILLEGAL DETENTION OF SHEIKH EL-ZAKZAKY: THE PRESENT GOVERNMENT IS THE ARCHITECTURE.”
“Today, marks 2000 days of illegal detention of Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky and his wife.
“Since the infamous Zaria-massacre in the year 2015, the duo have been, and are still being detained, despite the several court orders granting their freedom.
“The public are aware that the present Government ordered for the bloodbath that led to the killing of more than 1,000 people under the disguise of blocking a road to the former Chief of Army Staff, TY Buratai.
“By God, this smokescreen is becoming clearer than ever. What they had intended to conceal forever is now in the open, that there was no road blockade at all.
“Rather, the incident was preplanned, stage-managed and executed to eliminate Sheikh El-Zakzaky and annihilate his large followers,” he said.
According to Prof. Maigandi, the Kaduna Judicial Commission of Inquiry (JCI) report found that the “Cordon and Search Operation” conducted by the Nigerian Army culminated in the pogrom “in contravention of the provision of Section 8 of the Armed Forces Act No 24 of 1994.”
“Furthermore, the Amnesty International report unearthed the truth; ‘Unlawful Killings and Mass Cover-Up in Zaria,’ uncovered serious and heinous crimes against humanity by the Army.
Maigandi, who expressed worry over El-Zakzaky and his wife’s health condition in detention, said should anything happen to them, the Buhari-led government would be held responsible.
“The health of Sheikh El-Zakzaky and his wife in Kaduna Prison is giving us serious cause for concern, as, of recent, Malama Zeenat Ibraheem contracted COVID-19.
“Their health condition deteriorates on daily basis, as reliable information available to us reveals.
“In fact they need urgent medical attention. That Buhari connived with Kaduna State Government to file a case against Sheikh El-Zakzaky, his wife and 2 others, charging them with murder, is ridiculous and laughable.
“Isn’t the trial making a mockery of justice? That the murder victim is charged with murder! Even the Buhari administration is mocking itself.
“Conjure up the transition it adopted, from protective custody to court contempt, and now to the court case involving culpable homicide.
“Instead of Buhari to release the Sheikh unconditionally, as ordered by the Federal High Court, and to prosecute the Nigerian Army, as recommended by the report of the JCI constituted by Kaduna State Government under the chairmanship of Justice Mohammed Lawal Garba, he rather chose to prosecute the victims of the Army atrocities,” he said.
Maigandi, who insisted that the group demanded for justice and prosecution of the culprits, said the protest to demand unconditional release of their leader and wife would continue until government complied.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we want to inform you that we cannot afford to sit at home watching Buhari and his sponsors trying to kill Sheikh El-Zakzaky in illegal detention.
“Therefore we have been staging protests for the unconditional release of our leader.
“Even while calling for his immediate and unconditional release; in Abuja alone, 78 protesters were killed in cold blood.
“We will also continue to push the case of Zaria massacre at the International Criminal Court of Justice,” Maigandi said.
