BREAKING… Court frees Sheikh El-Zazkky after 5 years behind bars

Breaking… Court frees Sheikh El-zazkky after 5 years behind bars.

A High Court sitting in Kaduna state, North Central Nigeria has today, Wednesday, July 28, 2021, discharged and acquitted the leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, Ibrahim Zazzaky, and his wife Zeenat Ibrahim Zazakky

This is coming after six years since El-zazkky and his wife Zeenat were arrested at their home in Zaria, Kaduna state.

El-zazkky was arrested sometime in 2015 following a clash by his followers and soldiers escorting the then chief of Army Staff Lt. General Tukur Yusuf Buratai.

The clash which resulted in the killings of over 1000 members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria according to Ibrahim Musa, spokesman for the movement has also contributed to the continuing agitation by members of the movement both at home and in Diaspora.

According to Musa the injustice done to the movement and its leader was a total violation of the constitution of the Federal Republic and a gross violation of human right.

” This is not something we can come out to say yes, the government has done well. Our leader was not supposed to be arrested in the first place. But we are happy that he is a free man today.” Musa said.

A statement by Musa also reads: “Today, Wednesday, 28/07/2021 the Kaduna State High Court presided by Justice Gideon Kurada delivered a favourable judgement in the “no case submission” filed by the defence lawyers on the case brought against the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky and his wife, Malama Zeenah Ibrahim, who were standing trial for sundry trumped-up charges, including that of aiding and abetting culpable homicide punishable by death. With this victory in court today, the false charges filed against them has finally been punctured for good after almost five years of excruciating illegal detention.

“This judgement has not only vindicated them and all members of the Islamic movement in Nigeria, but it is certainly a victory for perseverance in the face of extreme persecution by the Nigerian government. It is a victory for truth and justice against tyranny and impunity.

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“It will be recalled that the Kaduna state government filed charges against Sheikh Zakzaky and his wife as an afterthought a year and a half after a federal high court in Abuja had ruled that their continued detention was unconstitutional, illegal and a severe breach of their fundamental rights and thereby must be set free and compensated. The government however remained in contempt until they decided to frame these spurious false charges in an attempt to perpetually keep them in their illegal custody.

“We, therefore, give praises to the Almighty for yet another successful outing, which further proves to the world that the Islamic Movement and its leader, are only victims of impunity and mischievous plots by both the Buhari-led federal government and the El-Rufai-led Kaduna state government. Since both governments have again failed in court after a fair trial, we expect them to respect the judgement of this honourable court and the course of justice to release them with immediate effect.

“We wish to use this opportunity to also say a big thank you to all people of conscience, human rights activists and organizations, journalists and all those that joined in our dogged campaign for justice for the victims of Zaria genocide for the past five years. Thank you and God bless.”

He said IMN is happy for its leaders but the movement will continue to hold the government under President Muhammadu Buhari responsible for the loss of over 1000 IMN members whose blood must be accounted for.