During a sit in Kaduna on Thursday the 15th of June 2017, the Federal High Court has adjourned the case between Leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky and Chief of Army Staff General Tukur Buratai and two others to June 30th 2017 for further hearing. This followed an application file in April 2017 by Femi Falana (SAN), who is the principal Counsel to Sheikh Zakzaky.
The presiding judge Justice Saleh Musa Shu’aibu adjourned the case for the failure of the Council to the Chief of Army staff to appear before the court while his representative Husein Oyebani could not defend the case saying he was just asked to be at the court on behalf of his boss, and that he did not study the case properly.
The Judge adjouned the case to month ending while warning the Counsel to the Army General to make sure he studies the case properly. Both Counsels agreed with the new date.
It could be recalled that an Abuja High Court had ordered for the release release of Sheikh during a judgement delivered by Justice Kolawale in Dec 2016, but the Buhari Regime is yet to comply with the court order.
Femi Falana warned of dragging feet over the matter by the Federal Government ”We cannot challenge a violation of human right that occur in a particular state outside that state because, the destruction took place in Kaduna and it shall be determined in the state where the violation of human right took place”
He added that “So a government that goes to court everyday to ask for justice can not go there to justify disobedience to court order. This is barbaric and primitive. so we are not going to allow that. It is El-Zakzaky today, it maybe anybody’s turn tomorrow and that is why that order and several others must be obeyed by court. like the late Lord Denynwould say,’no matter how high you are, the law is higher than you”
Femi Falana. Counsel to Sheikh Zakzaky during Court sitting in Kaduna on June 15,2017