By Abdullahi Isah Zuru
On Monday evening, 2/1/2017, Nigerian Police in Kaduna, teargassed hundreds of brothers and sisters of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria(IMN) during a peaceful free Sheikh Zakzaky protest staged in the city. The protest peacefully kicked up at the outskirts of Kaduna Polytechnic Gate, T/Wada, Kaduna, at about 6:00 p.m.
The protesters marched towards Poly Roundabout, intending to terminate at Ibraheem Taiwo Road, T/Wada, Kaduna. The protest was at just a stone’s throw to the Poly round about when with armed Police men, suddenly started shooting. They teargassed the peaceful protesters.
As at the time of gathering this report, it was reported that, "the Police men apprehended six brothers among which include women and younger children".
it could be recalled that Police teargassed sismilar protest on Thursday in Kaduna when brothers and sisters staged a peaceful free Sheikh Zakzaky protest on Thursday, 29/30/2016, along Kaduna Express Way.
On 29th of November, 2016, the Federal High Court, Abuja(Capital territory), under Justice Gabriel Kolawole delivered Judgement in favour of Sheikh Zakzaky when the Sheilh’s case was forwarded before the court. The Judge ordered the Nigerian government to unconditionally free the Sheikh and his wife within 45 days and to offer a requital to the Sheikh and his only wife for the damages made by the Nigerian army during the December 2015 pogrom in Zaria.
Contrary to following court’s order, the Kaduna state government continued intensifying its war against the peaceful Movement by attacking the peaceful members of the Movement in their continued peaceful protest calling for the government to follow court order, and free their leader unconditionally.
The names and pictures of the apprehended brothers and sisters are yet to be identified and would be published in due course.
Below are some pictures captured during the protest.