It is now over 100 days since the Nigerian Army under the command of Lut. Gen. Yusuf Tukur Buratai carries out what is clearly a well preplanned massacre on the members of the peaceful Islamic movement in Nigeria (IMN) under the revere leadership of his eminence Sheik Ibrahim Zakzaky.
Between 12th to 14th December of last year the so called Nigerian Army storm the residence of Sheik Zakzaky at Gyellesu in Zaria and shot the leader multiple times and his wife, killing three his biological sons on the spot, since then his where about remains unknown.
Rule by decree is a style of governance allowing quick, unchallenged creation of law by single person and is use primarily by dictators and absolute monarchs. Rule of law is a legal principle that law should govern a nation, as opposed to governed by arbitrary decisions of individual government officials.
Now the conscious Nigerians begin to ask this question “Are Nigerians ruled by the means of Decree or Democracy”. When the incumbent president Muhammadu Buhari visited the United States Institutes of peace last July, he pledged that he would be fair, just and scrupulously follow due process and the rule of law, as shrine in the Nigerian constitution. When sworn in he promised “He belongs to no one and is for everyone”. But were you sincere? In Zaria’s massacre we witness that is not so, how can innocent Nigerians that included armless men, seniors and children whom you promised to protect be killed in cold blood for over 24 hours by your military without intervening? Women sexually abused, shooting women in their private part, stabbing women in their breast by the Army paid to protect them. Where you sincere Mr. President? Today Sheik Zakzaky was illegally detained for over 100 days without him being tried in any court of law in the country that practices democracy. One of the sacred liberties of man is the liberty to move freely, unless where legitimate exception is permitted by law, any limitation on a man’s liberty to move freely is an infringement on his fundamental right. In Nigeria, such infringement is actionable either as a common law tort called false imprisonment or as a breach of constitutional right of personal liberty guaranteed under Section 35 (1) of the 1999 constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria before amendment. All people are equal before the law, every person has the right to either be charged and fairly tried. By virtue of the provisions of section 35 (5) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), section 483 of the criminal procedure Act and section 42 of the criminal procedure code, the securities ought not to detain any person for more than 24 hours without a warrant from a magistrate. Why are these differences with the case of Sheik Zakzaky? Why are they afraid of letting him speak to the world? Is this how you respect the “Rule of law?” “Isn’t this an act of Decree?”
The Zakzaky we know is a peace loving Nigerian that embraces all people, irrespective of colour, religious, region and background, he taught millions Nigerians to live as brothers, he taught us to speak against injustice and stand by the truth, he taught us to love our neighbors (Christians) as we witnessed during the previous post election’s violence in the north where he protected some Christians in his residence that were attacked by the politically inspired thugs. Are all these his crimes?
In conclusion, Nigerians need answers on whether they are being ruled by military dictator or by the Rule of law (Democracy). We demand for unconditional release of Sheik Zakzaky, his wife and all those illegally detained by the authorities.
Yakubu Ibrahim
#FreeZakzaky
@Yax143