By; JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
While commiserating with families and friends of members of the group who lost their lives in clashes with security forces, the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) popularly known as Shiites has called on the international community to prevail on the Federal Government in freeing its leader, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky.
This was contained in a statement signed by Sheikh Abdulhamid Bello Zaria, made available on Wednesday, titled, “Stop police brutality, free Sheikh Zakzaky”.
“We urge the international community and well-meaning Nigerians to mount pressure on the federal government to release our leader, who is in dire need of urgent medical attention abroad.
“And as we commiserate with the friends and families of those needlessly killed by this police brutality, in particular, our heartfelt condolences to the slain officer’s and the journalist’s families and the Channels Television as well, we believe the presidency was shedding crocodile tears, since it is the cause and executor of it all in the first place,” it stated.
The group said it deems it necessary to update the general public and the international community on the disproportionate use of force on supporters of the Islamic Movement by the Nigerian police that was renewed since Monday 22/07/2019.
“Yesterday we were able to conduct the Islamic funeral prayers on six of those known to us killed by the police. We firmly believe the police force is holding unto 15 corpses of the supporters of the Islamic Movement it killed on Monday.
“Those buried yesterday are: 1. Harisu Ibrahim Magaji from Darazo, Bauchi state. 2. Husaini Yahya Barwa from Soba, Kaduna state. 3. Ali Haidar Ibrahim Sulaiman from Toro, Bauchi state. 4. Dahiru Dogo from Kaduna, Kaduna state. 5. Batula Muhammad from Suleja, Niger state. 6. Abubakar Isma’il from Yola, Adamawa state.
“As of now, 15 seriously injured people, some of whom we took to Abuja University teaching hospital Gwagwalada, but the police snatched them by force on Monday 22/07/19 are languishing in the detention Centre of SARS, in Abbatoir Abuja, without any medical care. Among them are five women needing urgent medical attention. There is a ten year old boy in the detention facility, even though he has a bullet wound on his leg. In fact we learnt that two of the injured died yesterday because of their injuries. We demand that the authorities of SARS give us access to the wounded, so that we can attend to their medical needs,” it stated.
The group said that on 23/07/19, they gathered at Banex Plaza to once again continue with their peaceful procession demanding the freedom of their Leader Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky, but a joint task force of security agents stormed the place in combat gear.
“They fired tear gas and live ammunition resulting in injuries to a lot of our supporters, with one unconfirmed report saying one person died of his injuries.
“The security agencies are working hard to portray the Islamic Movement in Nigeria as a terrorist organization that is why they have started killing people in our name including our supporters. We decry such shameless play with people’s lives with reckless abandon, they said.
The group however, welcomed any move to the peaceful resolution of this crisis that has kept its Leader Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky in detention since 2015, even when a federal high court has ordered for his release.
“However it seems some hawks in the Buhari administration are bent on using all the force at their disposal, in stopping our march for the demand of justice. For their information forceful means have never been a solution to any social demand for justice like our own,” it concluded.
