It has been over a month now after the unfortunate and avoidable brutal killing of the 1000+ members of the Islamic Movement In Nigeria.
This barbarism was carried out by the blood thirsty Nigerian Army under the command of T.Y. Buratai, in which they claimed alleged attack on the COAS convoy on 12th December, 2015. Apart from the killings, large scores of the members of the movement were injured due to gun shots, bombs and grenades. The whereabouts of many are still unknown. They followed with the demolition of our Islamic Center Husainiyya Baqiyatullah, the residence of Shaikh Zakzaky at Gyallesu, Our cemetery and film Village at Dembo, Fudiyya Islamic Center and Grave yard of Shaikh Zakzaky’s Mother at Jushi ward, Zaria. Since then, there has been continued genuine demands, nationally and internationally, for the immediate and unconditional release of Shaikh Ibraheem Zakzaky(H), his family, our student colleagues, our parents and other members who have been in illegal custody. All this while, Muhammad Buhari, the Commander in Chief maintained deaf ears supposedly waiting for a kangaroo panel report from Kaduna State. How can the culprit be his own judge? Can the panel dare inquire anything from high ranking Military officers like COAS?
We keep on asking where is Shaikh Zakzaky? Where are our student colleagues? Where are our parents? It is on record that the COAS had said on December 18th, 2015 that Shaikh Zakzaky had been transferred from the army to appropriate authorities for prosecution. We presumed he meant the Nigerian police. However to our bewilderment, when a committee of National Supreme Council for Islamic affairs (NSCIA) met the Inspector General of police and demanded to see the Shaikh, he flatly refused.Not long ago, the force public relations officer Olabisi Kolawole, had said that Shaikh Zakzaky was being prosecuted. “The Shi’ite leader has been arraigned in court where he was charged with criminal conspiracy, inciting public disturbances among others; he has been remanded in prison custody and the case adjourned.” She told the Punch. Surprisingly while the Nigerian authorities had announced that he was detained and arraigned in Kaduna prison, the Controller Abubakar Argungu denied he was in their custody. So whom should we believe? This confirms the deceit, conspiracy and out right manipulation of the public’s view with regards to the army’s massacre in Zaria.
Now the questions:
Under whose custody is Shaikh Zakzaky (H) and his wife? Where are our colleagues and parents kept? Is it in Army barracks, Police cells, DSS custody, Prisons or buried in mass graves? Which location? What is their medical condition since many have sustained bad gunshot wounds?
We are anxious and worried about their health conditions, we want to know their whereabouts because we do not trust the Government pertaining to this issue. Shaikh Zakzaky, his wife and members of the movement have been and are still being oppressed by Nigerian Authorities.These oppressed victims deserve their rights to medical care, attorney, bail and visitation even if they were arrested legally. We will never remain silent over these brutalities. We demand the immediate and unconditional release of our Leader, his wife, our student colleagues, our parents and other members of the Islamic Movement in illegal custody. The corpses of our Martyrs should be handed over to their parents, guardians or relatives for proper burial according to Islamic rites. God, the Almighty, Justice and posterity would judge between us sooner or later In sha Allah.
SIGNED
Abdullahi Ibrahim
ACADEMIC FORUM OF THE ISLAMIC MOVEMENT IN NIGERIA