*Seek release of Sheikh Zakzaky, wive’s travel documents
By; JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
Members of the Islamic sect, Shiites, came out on large numbers, protesting on the ever busy Ahmadu Bello Way Kaduna on Friday July 28, 2023.
Our correspondent saw the protesting Shiites, carrying banners and placards, with various inscriptions.
They were sighted around the popular Kano Road junction of the Ahmadu Bello Way in a peaceful procession, as at time of filing this report.
During the procession, the youth, dressed in all black, were seen with their hands raised in the air, a gesture, our correspondent can’t interprete at the moment.
In an interview with newsmen, spokesman of the group, Engineer Yunusa Lawal Musa said their marching on the major highway is to create awareness.
“We want people to know what has happened to the progeny of our prophet, in the year, 680 AD equivalent to 61 after the Hijra of Prophet Mohammed, there were group of Muslims, they call themselves the best Muslims, they descended on the grandson of our Holy Prophet simply because of Leadership.
“They wanted leadership by hook or by crook.and that culminated into what happened on the 10th day of Muharram, exactly like today, that is we are commemorating his martyrdom.
“He was brutally killed in the land of Karbala. He was killed with his disciples, his family, in fact, they wanted to actually kill everybody who was within the progeny of our Prophet Mohammed.
“Because they said it, the son of Yazid Muyawiya, he said it that they want to actually kill the religion of prophet Mohammed, that is Islam,” he said.
According to him, “This is very disheartening if you look at what has happened, because these are people who professed that they were part of us, yet they went ahead to do this.
“If you look at what happened in the land of Karbala, you will notice that what happened really, when you look at humanity, I mean children were killed, women were killed, they beheaded the disciples, almost all, 72 of them
“The women and children that were left, they marched them from the land of Karbala, that is in Iraq, up to Damascus in Syria. You can see the distance on foot.
“What happened in Karbala to us as Muslims, Shiite Muslims, is what is actually making us to go against oppression and suppression at any given time, because we now believe that whoever is a leader and dies not follow the ethics of, if it’s the constitution, or the religion, like what is happening now in this country, there is a lot of impunity.
“You see people in power in the country, they just use it as if it belongs to them, it is unacceptable.
“Some people look at us as if we are rebellious, we are here in this world for justice. Once there is no equity and justice, there will be problem. This is what is happening everywhere. So what Imam Hussein was saying at that time, was that no, the leadership was going wrongly, therefore, they have to ensure that it goes straight.
“The same thing with our Sheikh Ibrahim Elzakzaky, he has been detained almost 11 times. Each time the government decides to take him to court or whatever, he defeats them. Because they don’t have the right, they always want to suppress, oppress, subjugate him.
“Right now, as you can see, he has won all his cases and up till now, they have not allowed him the freedom to go out of the country to get his medical attention. His passport is still with the government they have not released his passport. This is very saddening.
“We are saying with guarantee that as long as there is suppression and oppression, we will continue to fight it, no matter who is there.
“Now we have a Muslim-Muslim presidency in this country. But I assure you, if they don’t do the right thing, we will continue to talk, so it is left for them to descend on us or not to descend on us.
“If you take this country as a case study, there is a constitution which should be adhered to. Look at what is happening at NASS is it fair, they are asking of increase of this, increase of that, while the masses are suffering. Is it fair?
“As we said the main purpose of our marching is on awareness on injustice, Our leader has been subdued all protocol of justice, he has been taken to court and won all the cases. We want the government to release his passport and go for check up,” he said.
They also demanded that people should be allowed to practice their religion as enshrined in the constitution as long as it does not go against any other person’s belief.
