Shiites Warn Buhari Over Zakzaky

The Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) has stated that it would not be deceived by photos and video of its leader, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky.

It also warned the Buhari government to stop propaganda against the group and its supreme head.

Recall that El-Zakzaky, in a brief chat with newsmen, at an undisclosed location in Abuja, said he was alive and “feeling better”.

His clearance to come out of the heavily guarded building by the Department of State Services (DSS) followed rumors surrounding his health.

Last week, there was tension in some states, particularly Kaduna, after news broke that the Shiites leader was dead.

The DSS, however, at the weekend, decided to prove that he is not dead as being speculated.

In a statement issued on Sunday in Kaduna, spokesman of the Islamic group, also known as Shiite, Ibrahim Musa, said: “We are not placated by Sheikh Zakzaky’s video clip.”

Musa said although it was cheering to see the IMN leader speaking live in the short video clip after over two years of illegal detention, “it falls very short of expectations of his total and unconditional freedom as ordered by the Federal High Court in Abuja.

“Credible and dependable sources have it that the arranged interview by the security men was made to appear as impromptu, but our leader, Sheikh Zakzaky, granted a much longer interview and addressed far more issues than was released.

“What did he say about his continuing detention? What did he say about his similarly incarcerated wife and her own ill- health? What did he say about the legal tussle or even how the whole saga began in the first place? What did he say about the destruction of his properties, the desecration of his mother and children’s graves?

“What did he have to say about the killing of his elder sister, a nephew, three sons and over a thousand of his disciples? What was his reaction to the mass grave at Mando in Kaduna which the security did their utmost best to conceal?

“Why did he opt to challenge his supposed ‘protective custody’ on court when the authorities are telling the world that it was of his own volition? Why did he reject going to Kaduna State constituted Judicial Commission of Inquiry but submitted a memo to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo panel of investigation only to refuse giving testimony in secret? The questions are nearly endless.

“We challenge the security forces to either release to the public the full unedited interview, or allow an open live free interview with no restrictions.

“The local and global free Zakzaky campaigns will most certainly continue. Our goal is not to see Zakzaky in a controlled press clip but our goal is his unconditional freedom and his wife as ordered by a competent Nigerian court. Nothing short of that will suffice.”