Members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) today in Abuja staged a protest march at the Human Rights Commission (HRC) to demand the immediate release of their spiritual leader, Sheik Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, who has been in detention since December 2015.The Shi’ite leader has been held in custody since his followers clashed with the convoy of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai, in Zaria, where the army chief was billed to attend the passing out parade of soldiers at the military depot.
At the HRC today, armed policemen stationed in the area prevented the protesters from getting too close to the gate of the commission.
A lecturer of Criminology at Bayero University, Dr. Memuna Useni, who spoke on behalf of the group, expressed displeasure over the flagrant disobedience of the rule of law by the government despite the court order by Justice Gabriel Kolawole which directed the immediate and unconditional release of El-Zakzaky from detention.
She noted that the security agents have been holding the spiritual leader and his wife illegally despite his deteriorating health.
