Release our leader, El-Zakzaky supporters beg FG, as Police use tear gas on peaceful protesters

EVEN when members of the Sheik Islamic Movement assured of peaceful Arbaeen trek this year, the Nigeria Police Force on Friday allegedly disrupted their peaceful demonstration in Abuja with tear gas, where several of members of the movement were injured.

A statement signed by Sheikh Abdulhamid Bello on behalf of the Movement alleged that the Police used tear gas on the peaceful protesters, ask for the release of their leader, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky who has spent two years in an illegal and unconstitutional detention, even with a valid order from a competent court for his release.

Recalled that Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court in Abuja had ordered the Federal Government to release the El-Zazaky and his wife from detention, an order which the Federal Government has refused to honour till now, on the ground that the detention of the leader of the Sheik Islamic Movement was on security ground.

But supporters of the Islamic leader said in a statement yesterday that they will not rest on their oars until the Sheikh, his wife, and others in detention since December 2015 are set free.

They had assured that this year’s like those before will be peaceful and devoid of any attempt to curb the right of safe passage to another highway user

According to the statement, “The fortieth day (Arbaeen) commemoration after the martyrdom of Imam Husain, the Grandson of Prophet Muhammad (SAWA), is commemorated annually by the Islamic Movement, following a symbolic trek by millions of people from across the country.

“The purpose of the symbolic trek is to recall and experience the trial and tribulations faced by the Household of the Holy Prophet (AS), chained and dragged in the scorching desert, barefoot from Karbala in Iraq to Damascus in Syria after the killing of Imam Husain 61 years after Hijra.

“This Arbaeen commemoration has become the largest human gathering on earth with over 25 million people in attendance from various parts of the globe.”

The Movement noted in the statement made available to newsmen in Abuja before the disruption of the trek by the Police recalled that the previous year’s Arbaeen trek was thwarted first by Kano State government when it sent a combined team of security agents and gunned down close to 50 innocent people on the trek unjustifiably.

“They did the same thing this year by killing at least five and left many injured. It was as if Governor Ganduje was in league with his Kaduna State counterpart El-Rufai who had used the instruments of power to oppress members of Islamic Movement in the state since the Zaria genocide carried out by the Nigerian army in December 2015.”

The statement said, “Though some state governments and the federal government have been plotting evil against our peaceful Arbaeen trek and commemoration of Imam Husain (AS), we pray that Allah thwarts and frustrate their evil plans as he has done in the past.”