Remove travel ban on El-Zakzaky and wife, release detained protesters – Islamic Movement tells Tinubu

Chigozie Ikpo, Abuja

The Islamic Movement in Nigeria has demanded the removal of the travel ban placed on its leader, Sheik Ibraheem Ya’qoub Zakzaky, and his family, as well as the unconditional release of their travel documents.

In a Press Conference, held on Saturday, in Abuja, a Senior Member, Professor Shehu Ahmad Maigandi said the group also demands the unconditional release of her members, detained across the country without trial.

Maigandi said the Islamic Movement has suffered grave human rights violations under previous governments and asked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other relevant authorities to look into their plight to bring about a lasting solution to their challenges.

He said the Press Conference “is meant to remind the general public and particularly the newly sworn-in government of Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the grave human rights violations against the leader of Islamic Movement in Nigeria, His Eminence, Sheikh Ibraheem Ya’qoub El-Zakzaky (H), his family, and followers by the previous governments of Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari.

“The public may recall that on March 16, 2013, during Jonathan’s regime, the operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) arrested our brother Malam Haruna Abbas at Aminu Kano International Airport upon his return from a foreign trip.

“Two other brothers: Ibrahim Hussaini; and Adamu Suleiman were also arrested at their respective residences fictitiously. Ten years on, the three brothers have been under detention unjustly and in violation of their fundamental human rights as citizens of Nigeria.

“In a similar fashion, on November 18, 2015, the Police arrested our brother Hassan Muhammad at his residence in Maigana Town, Kaduna state, and since then, Malam Hassan has been under illegal detention.

Maigandi alleged that the Nigerian Army on July 25, 2014, killed 34 members of their group while on a peaceful procession in Zaria including three sons of their leader, El-Zakzaky, and another 1000 persons between the 12th and 14th December 2015 saying that those responsible are yet to be prosecuted.

“The victims of the onslaught were also illegally buried in mass and shallow graves at Mando Village in Kaduna town, by the Buhari regime as confirmed by the Kaduna state government.

Maigandi said it was the 2015 military operation that their leader Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky and his wife Zeenah, were illegally arrested and detained.

He noted that Justice Gabriel Kolawale of the Federal High Court, Abuja division had ordered the unconditional release of the duo, but his continued detention led to the Free-Zakzaky protests in Abuja between January 2018 and July 2021.

“It is on record that from 2018 to 2021, Police and the Nigerian Army killed seventy-eight (78) Free Zakzaky protesters, 2 journalists, and numerous passersby (Abuja residents) in Abuja, with over 50 Free Zakzaky protesters under detention since July 2019, and their court cases have been unnecessarily delayed,” he said

Speaking on the travel ban placed on their leader, Maigandi said the Kaduna State High Court in 2019 ordered that Both Sheikh Zakzaky and his wife he allowed to leave for India to receive medical care but the Nigerian Government confiscated their travel documents.

“During the medical trip to India, the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and Department of State Services (DSS) confiscated the couple’s travel documents. The seizure of the passports was done illegally because medical leave granted by the Kaduna State High Court did not require the security agents to confiscate their travel documents and directed the Nigeria Immigration Service not to issue another international passport to the couple,” he added

Maigandi then urged the Tinubu-led government, to see to the unconditional release of the documents, release of their detained members, and the prosecution of the perpetrators of the numerous killings against members of the group.