Release Zakzaky, in-law, others now, Islamic Movement warns
KADUNA—Members of the Shiite Islamic
Movement of Nigeria has called for the
unconditional release of its leader, Sheikh
Ibraheem Yaqoub Zakzaky, his sister-in-law, and
other members incarcerated since last month as
well as release of corpses of those killed for
proper and befitting Islamic burial.
The group in a statement said since the December
2015 face-up with the Nigerian Army that the
government has not been able to justify atrocities
committed by the army that led to their members
arrests.
“We are still adamant in our request that the
Sheikh be set free unconditionally, because up to
now the government has not been able to justify
the unjustifiable atrocities committed by the army
that led to his arrest.”
The movement they say is relieved that Zakzaky
is still alive as revealed by members of the
contact committee set up by the National
Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, NSCIA, that
visited their leader where he is being held by the
federal government.
According to a member of the committee, Prof.
Dahiru Yahya, they met the Sheikh and his wife
Sister Zeenah Ibraheem in Abuja, who are all
recuperating from the bullet wounds they
sustained during the army’s attack on the Islamic
Movement in Zaria.
The group said they welcome the development as
“it is a step forward in quelling the anxiety of the
teeming millions of Muslims and non-Muslims
alike, all over the globe, in knowing at least the
whereabout of the Sheikh and the condition of his
health.”
The movement in the statement signed by the
Media President, Ibrahim Musa, said they have
been able to establish some figures that indicate
how gruesome the avoidable attack by the
Nigerian army has been.
“In our list there are about 730 people, men and
women, who are still missing, since that fateful
Saturday 12th December, 2015. These missing
people were either killed by the army or are in
detention, but whose where about is still unknown
and undisclosed.
“Also there are 220 brothers of the Islamic
movement in detention in Kaduna Central prison,
some of them with fatal gun wounds and burns.
The Islamic Movement said from reliable reports
that they have been able to confirm the detention
where some of their members are being held by
the Nigerian army in Kaduna, Bauchi and Abuja.
They said while they commend the NSCIA for its
effort to resolve this crisis initiated and executed
by the military, that an independent judicial
commission under the watchful eyes of the
international community be set up to unearth the
truth and the perpetrators of the Zaria incident of
last year.
“At the time of writing this statement, no single
corpse has been handed to the families of those
killed.”