The Islamic Movement in Nigeria, popularly known as Shi’ite, has dismissed as a sign of incarceration, the parading of its leader, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, by the Department of State Services, DSS, on Saturday before some selected journalists.
El-Zakzaky in the brief appearance denied the widespread news that he was dead.
According to him, he was alive and getting better.
But reacting to the very brief interview, members of the Shi’ite group, in a statement by President of the Media Forum of Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Ibrahim Musa, said nothing would replace the freedom which had been granted its leader and his wife by the court.
The group emphasized that El-Zakzaky had not committed any crime, hence should be allowed to go.
The group said in its statement: “This limited view and voice of Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky, speaking live in the short video clip in the over two years of his illegal detention may seem very pleasant but falls very short of expectations of his total and unconditional freedom as ordered by the Federal High Court, Abuja.
“We are not unmindful of the fact that Sheikh Zakzaky has not committed any crime, and his detention under whatever guise and pretence has been ruled by a competent court in our land as unconstitutional and a breach of his fundamental rights.
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“There is therefore no justification whatsoever to be satisfied by a few seconds of video clip of an illegally incarcerated Sheikh.”
The group also said it was aware that El-Zakzaky said more than he did in the video clip played to the public.
Said the group: “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’s 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, which the security did their utmost best to conceal? Why did he opt to challenge his supposed “protective custody” in 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 Osinbajo Panel of Investigation, only to refuse giving testimony in secret? The questions are nearly endless.”
The group submitted that its goal was the unconditional freedom of Sheikh El-Zakzaky and his wife as ordered by a competent Nigerian Court and not the controlled press clip.
