MEMBERS of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), also known as Shi’ite, on Monday, vowed to lay their life for the unnecessary incarceration of their leader, Sheik Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, who had been in detention since December 2015.
The demonstrators, who stormed Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in their hundreds, barricade the ever-busy Federal Secretariat for almost 30 minutes and engaged members of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
Witnesses told the Nigerian Tribune that the protest, which started in a peaceful manner, later resulted in chaos. Traders, civil servants, passersby and motorists, therefore, ran for their lives.
The protesters, however, vowed not to leave Abuja until their leader regained his freedom.
They besieged secretariat with sticks, irons and stones, screaming “Buhari free our leader; Federal Government frees our leader, Government free El-Zakzaky; we will not leave Abuja until government free our leader.”
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One of the protesters, Muhammed Alli told the Nigerian Tribune that: “we gathered at the front of the Federal Ministry of Communications, very close to the National Assembly junction, and suddenly police attacked us with cannon water and started shooting sporadically to the air so as to scare us.”
He said the protesters then repelled and engaged the police with stones and irons.
Another protester, Amina Jibrin said she was ready to forgo her business (hairdressing salon) for the freedom of Sheik El-Zakzaky.
“I came from Kaduna and I am not ready to go back until my leader and father, El-Zakzaky regains his freedom. I am comfortable with this protest.” She vowed.
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