The Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), on Friday, reminded the United Nations (UN), European Union (EU) and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of alleged grave human rights violation against its leader, Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, his wife, Zeenah, and all his followers by the previous governments of Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari.
The Islamic group made this known in a letter signed by Fatima Aliyu Adam, on behalf of the Academic Forum of the Islamic Movement, and copies made available to newsmen in Abuja.
The group, in the letter, also urged President Bola Tinubu to look into their demand for the release of their detained brothers who are in custody and the international passports of Sheikh El-Zakzaky and his wife.
“We write to remind you of the persecution, maltreatment, brutality, and grave human rights violations against the leader of the Islamic movement in Nigeria, His Eminence, Sheikh Ibraheem Ya’qoub El-Zakzaky (H), his family, and followers by the previous governments of Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari.
“You may recall that on March 16, 2013, during Jonathan’s regime, the operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) arrested our brother, Malam Haruna Abbas, at Aminu Kano International Airport upon his return from a foreign trip.
“Two other brothers, Ibrahim Hussaini and Adamu Suleiman, were also arrested at their respective residences fictitiously.
“Ten years on, the three brothers have been detained unjustly and in violation of their fundamental human rights as citizens of Nigeria. In a similar fashion, on November 18, 2015, the Police arrested our brother Hassan Muhammad at his residence in Maigana Town, Kaduna State, and since then, Malam Hassan has been detained illegally for more than seven years (without trial).
“As a continuation of the state-targeted brutality by Jonathan’s regime, the Nigerian Army on July 25, 2014, extrajudicially killed 34 members of the Islamic movement while on a peaceful procession in commemoration of the Annual International Quds Day in Zaria, as a show of solidarity with the oppressed Palestinian people.
“Those killed by the Army include three (3) biological sons of our leader: Ahmad Ibraheem Zakzaky, Mahmud Ibraheem Zakzaky, and Hamid Ibraheem Zakzaky. It is on record that, in spite of the pleas and formal complaints made, the perpetrators of this heinous crime are still not prosecuted,” IMN said.
It alleged that after the judgement of the Kaduna State High Court that discharged and acquitted El-Zakzaky and his wife from all the allegations levelled against them, the Buhari government decided to frustrate the court judgement and hinder the retrieval of their travel documents.
It said despite the fact that the court admitted that the health situation of the couple requires not only qualified medical professionals but also a state-of-the-art medical facility with up-to-date equipment, the couple had been denied access to their travel documents.
IMN, therefore, called for justice for all its members, including the leader and wife.
