Youths trekking to Abuja for El-Zakzaky are harmless —Shiite

· Calls for leader’s, others’ release

A handful of youths trekking from Zaria to Abuja to demand for the release of the leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky, who had been in custody for the past eight months are harmless and would only hold a peaceful demonstration, the Shiite sect has stated.

This is just as it called on the Federal Government to, “as a matter of priority,” release its leader and others detained with him.

The sect, in a statement signed by its spokesman, Ibrahim Musa and made available to Sunday Tribune on Saturday, stated this against the backdrop of an alleged plot to attack the youths, on the claim that the weapons were found on them.

“There is a sinister plan by security operatives to attack the youths as they approach Abuja and some weapons will be claimed to have been found on them.  These security agents will then rush to town to accuse the Islamic Movement of planning to launch an attack on the federal capital in a bid to forcibly release Sheikh Zakzaky,” the statement read in part.

The statement further added that sect decided to inform the general public that the protesters, a group of young men and women, who started their trek from Zaria, Kaduna State “are peaceful in all their actions, and since last week when they started, nobody has complained of their being a nuisance to commuters in any way along the expressway to Abuja.”

It will be recalled that hundreds of members of the sect were, some months ago, reported killed by the military following a face-off triggered by some allegedly recalcitrant faithful who, during a religious march, denied the Chief of Army Staff passage.