COVID-19: Shi’ites Demand El-Zakzaky’s Release

The Islamic Movement in Nigeria, also known as Shiites, has asked the federal and Kaduna state governments to release their leader, Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, in view of the difficult times the country is facing due to the COVIDpandemic.

The call was made by the Movement in a press release issued on Friday by Ibrahim Musa, the president of its Media Forum.

IMN argued that there are many valid reasons why his release should be considered primarily by the authorities, saying: “Sheikh Zakzaky deserves immediate freedom for many reasons, especially in this difficult period when the country is facing the coronavirus scourge.

Shiites regretted that Zakzaky had remained in detention, despite a 2016 federal court ruling that declared his arrest and detention illegal, unconstitutional and a violation of his fundamental rights.

The statement added that “even the judicial process for which the sheikh is being processed in Kaduna should not oppose his release in these difficult times, because“ two higher courts in Kaduna have dismissed and acquitted almost 200 members of the Islamic Movement that was tried on the same charges.