Members of the Shiite Islamic Movement of Nigeria have said that ‘an independent judiciary committee under the watchful eyes of the international community,’ will be initiated if its leader, Sheikh Ibraheem Yaqoub Zakzaky, his sister-in-law, and other members incarcerated since last month are not released.
In a statement, the group noted that the government has not been able justify the continued detention of members of the sect.
The statement read “We are still adamant in our request that the Sheikh be set free unconditionally, because up to now the government has not been able to justify the unjustifiable atrocities committed by the army that led to his arrest.”
They said they are relieved that Zakzaky is still alive as revealed by members of the contact committee set up by the National Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, NSCIA, that visited their leader where he is being held by the federal government.
“it is a step forward in quelling the anxiety of the teeming millions of Muslims and non-Muslims alike, all over the globe, in knowing at least the whereabout of the Sheikh and the condition of his health,” the statement read.
The statement signed by the Media President, Ibrahim Musa added that “In our list there are about 730 people, men and women, who are still missing, since that fateful Saturday 12th December, 2015. These missing people were either killed by the army or are in detention, but whose where about is still unknown and undisclosed.
“Also there are 220 brothers of the Islamic movement in detention in Kaduna Central prison, some of them with fatal gun wounds and burns.
“At the time of writing this statement, no single corpse has been handed to the families of those killed.”