Shi’ites: Reps Advice FG On What To Do With El-Zakzaky

The federal government has been urged by the members of House of Representatives to obey the court orders directing the release of Ibrahim el-Zakzaky, leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN).

Today at the plenary, the lawmakers warned that if the FG does not adhere, the IMN members could wreck more harm than they have done.

El-Zak-zaky was arrested and detained in 2015 when the group better known as Shi’ites clashed with a convoy of the chief of army staff in Kaduna state

He has been granted bail from different courts, however, the government has insisted on detaining him.

This has agitated his followers who have taken various means to protest his release,

Yesterday, followers invaded the National Assembly Complex.

Ndudi Elumelu, minority leader, introduced a motion calling on his colleagues to probe the matter and ensure adequate security measures are in place at the legislative chamber.

They argued that the circumstances surrounding the matter are similar to what led to the emergence of the Boko Haram insurgent group.

Onofiok Luke from Akwa Ibom said it is unfortunate that while the lawmakers are empowered to make laws, the federal government is going against the rule of law in disobedience to the court orders ordering the release of the IMN leader.

“If the court has given an order for the release of the man, we should call on the government to release him. The discourse should not be on the invasion of the national assembly alone,” he said.

Bamidele Salam from Osun state said El-Zakzaky’s continued detention is injustice and “injustice to one is injustice to all.”

“I want to urge the federal government to look into the matter of the leader of this movement and allow the rule of law to take its course … to ensure that Boko Haram is not replicated in Shiites movement,” he said.

“If we are able to secure the national assembly, what happens to the man and woman in the market elsewhere?”