Police disperse ‘free El-Zakzaky’ protesters with teargas, hot water

SOME adherents of the detained leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, have continued to mount pressure on the Federal Government for his immediate and unconditional release.

They have taken to the streets of Abuja in what they have termed a ‘free El-Zakzaky’ protest.

The protest however went awry on Tuesday when in attempt to disperse the protesters who converged on Unity Fountain, the Police sprayed them with teargas, having failed to disperse them with water.

The recalcitrant protesters were also said to have been chased away by the police dogs forcing them to move into the streets.

The protest, which they staged since last week to the National Assembly, Abuja, for the release of their leader, continued on Tuesday.

The protesters carrying placards with different inscriptions were largely restricted to the first security post of the National Assembly, which is close to the Federal Secretariat.

El-Zakzaky has been in detention with his wife since December 2015. He was last year granted but but yet to be released.

It would be recall that Zakzaky and his wife were arrested on December 14, 2015, following a clash between members of his group and the Nigerian Army in Zaria, Kaduna State.

After months in detention without being charged to court, El-Zakzaky approached the court to demand the release of himself and his wife.

An Abuja High Court presided over by Justice Gabriel Kolawole on December 2 last year said their detention was unlawful and illegal, since protective custody, which was cited as the excuse by the State Security Services, SSS, for their detention, was unknown to the law or the National Security Agencies Act establishing the SSS.

The court ordered the Nigerian government to release the detainees within 45 days of the judgement and to pay each of them N50million as compensation.

The court further ordered the police to within 24 hours provide them escorts to a safe place.

The Federal Government, however, said El-Zakzaky would be released at that moment because of public interest and security concerns.

But one of the protesters who spoke with Tribune Online insisted that they would continue with the protest until the Federal government release him unconditionally.

“We will not stop the protest until our leader is released unconditionally. The case was taken court and the court ordered for his release without any charge against him. Why is the government still keeping him?” A protester said.