The members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) have petitioned the European Union, United Nations and the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) over the continued detention of their leader, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky. Sheikh Abdulhamid Bello, the Chairman of Free Zakzaky Committee stated this on Wednesday in a chat with newsmen in Kaduna.
He said the corpses of the 347 IMN members who were killed and buried be exhumed and given proper Islamic burial. He also called for the inauguration of an independent panel of inquiry to investigate the matter.
“Our leader, Sheikh Ibraheem el-Zakzaky, his wife and several hundred of our members are being detained, with several of our properties, including residences, schools and Islamic centers demolished. Our leader remains in detention without charges, incommunicado for two years, one year after a Federal High Court had declared his detention as unconstitutional, a breach of his rights and freedoms; and therefore ordered for his unconditional release.
We call on the international community, and especially the UN, EU, AU, ECOWAS and the ICC to add more pressure on the government to live up to its responsibilities as regards the issue of the IMN in general and Sheikh Ibrahim el-Zakzaky in particular.”
Meanwhile, the Federal Government says El-Zakzaky is in protective custody and not in detention as widely claimed by his followers.
