El-Zakzaky: Shi’ites Deny Fighting Buhari, FG
The Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) has dismissed insinuations that its members are engaging the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government in a battle of wits for supremacy and recognition.
The IMN said despite extreme irritation by agents of the present administration, its members have remained focused and restrained, refusing to be provoked into disrespecting any constituted authority in the country.
They however, vowed not to relent in their demand for the unconditional release of their leader, Shiekh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky and his wife, Zeenat, in line with multiple Court orders to that effect.
The Muslim sect, also called the Shi’ites, said no amount of intimidation and blackmail will distract them from deploying all legal means at their disposal to ensure the government eventually obeys the court orders.
Speaking with Vanguard in Abuja, Chairman, Free El-Zakzaky Campaign Committee of IMN, Sheikh Abdulrahman Abubakar, denied that the body is fighting the Buhari administration unduly for recognition.
According to him; “We are not at odds with the government. The reality is that we are expressing our concerns and dismay as regards the continuous incarceration of our leader, who was attacked by the Nigerian army.
“We believe the attack was at the instance of the Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian army, who is the President, Mr Buhari. Despite the Court order that the Sheikh is being detained illegally and should be released unconditionally, the government has refused to obey even as his condition of health is deteriorating. That’s why we have to keep expressing our views as regards what the government has done through regular protests which are legitimate means.
“We have taken the government to the court, yet the government still refused to obey a valid Court injunction that it is unconstitutional to detain somebody under ‘protective’ custody. Through our regular street protests, we only want Nigerians to be the judges in El-Zakzaky’s case. We have to stand for justice.”
On speculations in the public domain that the group was planning to transform into a ‘state’ within a state, Sheikh Abubakar said; “What action have we taken to show that we are becoming a state within a state? Can we be working on a parallel government within the Nigerian state yet take the federal government to a legitimate court constituted on the Nigerian laws?”
Held under ‘protective’ custody by the Department of State Services (DSS) since 2015, Sheikh El-Zakzaky last weekend marked his 68th birthday. – Vanguard
