Shiites berate Buhari over silence on El-Zakzaky’s detention

The Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) also known as Shiites yesterday berated President Muhammadu Buhari for not making any official statement on the clash between soldiers and members of the group in December last year and the detention of their leader, Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky.

The Islamic group in a statement issued by it spokesperson, Mallam Ibrahim Musa, said that: “The President in his speech to mark Democracy Day touched on virtually all the challenges his administration faced in its one year in office. He, however, refused to make mention of the monumental disaster that visited the nation when our national army massacred over 1,000 defenceless citizens in Zaria, who are members of the Islamic Movement (IMN).

“Also, in utter disregard to law and order the Nigerian government abducted the leader of the Movement, Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky. Since his abduction, he has been kept illegally in detention without trial or any court charge along with hundreds of other IMN members.

“It remains shocking and unbelievable how the President could still remain silent about this miscarriage of justice in Nigeria while democracy is said to be commemorated after one year in office disregarding outcries by governments, groups and individuals calling for fairness and justice.”

Musa added that: “The offences committed by the army in Zaria were grave, relating to crimes against humanity as revealed by subsequent confessional statements and disclosures by reports of international human rights groups. There is simply no more room for excuses. The President can no longer feign ignorance. We, therefore, reject the continued silence of the President on the Zaria massacre.

“There is still much to be done. The identity of those buried in mass shallow graves need to be ascertained through scientific methods so that their relatives can give them proper burial, while those in detention should be released without further delay.”