By; JULIANA KATUN, Kaduna.
Student wing of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) popularly known as Shi’ite under the auspices of Abulfadi Foundation protested against the continued detention of their leader, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky demanding for his unconditional release with a procession to Abuja from Kaduna.
The protesters in their hundreds, mostly youths between the ages of 5-25 holding various placards, chanting and calling for the unconditional release of their leader Sheikh Zakzaky claimed to have trekked from Zaria, about 80 kilometers away from the city of Kaduna and vowed to proceed to Abuja seeking his release.
Abdullahi Mohammed, who spearheaded the protest said they are mostly students from tertiary institutions across the country who converge on Zaria the headquarters of the movement and walked down to the state capital calling for the unconditional release of their leader.
He said, many students and innocent Nigerians were killed and burnt alive in the unfortunate incident.
Accordind to him, the continuous detention of their leader in the
custody of Directorate of Security Service (DSS) since December 2015 bloody clash between the IMN members and men of Nigerian Army in Zaria, Kaduna State is uncalled for.
A female member of the group, Fauziya Sa’idu said most of them have become widows and orphans as a result of the last December
clash and promised to remain in Abuja until their demand met.
“We are only demanding that our leader be released for medical treatment and we will continue this match to Abuja and we will not leave until our Sheikh, his wife and others are released” she noted.
They also accused the military personnel along Zaria-Kaduna road of taking their photographs on their way to Kaduna the purpose of which she said they don’t know, stressing that no amount of intimidation from Army can stop them from marching to Abuja and remain there until El- Zakzaky, wife and other members of the sect are released from DSS custody.
While calling on those who believe in the adorable right of all human beings, fairness, justice and dignity, to help by joining them in a redoubled effort of ensuring the release of their leader, the woman noted that their leader is seriously in need of access to a medical Doctors now.
“If they are really protecting our leader as their lawyers have
claimed, then we would want to ask them what form of threat is the visit of family members, doctors, considering the impending
and dangerous condition threatening to turn our leader blind, why are no doctors allowed?” she asked.
It would be recall there is a ban on public procession
in Kaduna State.
