Members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) otherwise referred to as Shi’ite, on Wednesday, stormed Abuja to protest the continued detention of their leader, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky.
The protesters gathered at Area 10, Garki area of Abuja and marched towards Area 2 Junction.
The police made efforts to disperse them at Area 2 Junction, but no success was made of it.
With the refusal of the protesters to yield, the police fired gunshot into the air.
They also shot tear gas at the protesters, causing confusion.
The number of people injured as a result of the stampede that followed could not be ascertained at the time of filing this report.
El-Zakzaky was arrested in 2015 following a clash between his group and the military.
The clash which was reported to have left many members of the Shi’ite groups dead, was, according to the military, caused by the attempt by the group to kill the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai.
They were reported to have barricaded the road preventing the movement of Buratai and his entourage.
Read Also : 83 migrants feared dead in Libya boat mishap
Although the court had granted the release of El-Zakzaky who was said to have lost an eye in the encounter with the soldiers, the government has refused to release him.
The refusal to let him go has led to a number of protests which had been frustrated by the police.
The Nigerian government has since given the reason for the continuous detention of El-Zakzaky.
At a press briefing at the UN secretariat in New York, last year, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, said the government was not willing to disrupt the process of inquiry initiated by the Kaduna State government and had decided to allow the full process of the law prevail in the case.
“Government will study it, the Attorney General will look at the report and whatever measure needs to be taken will be taken,” he said in New York.
