RNA - More than 200 members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) and pro-democracy group Concerned Nigerians took part in the protest in Abuja on Wednesday amid police presence, holding placards and banners reading, "Free Zakzaky", Africa News reported.
Concerned Nigerians announced in a statement on Tuesday that the group would begin daily "sit-outs" on Wednesday to protest the killing of members of the IMN and call for the release of Zakzaky, the leader of the IMN.
The Nigerian army attacked two religious centers of the country's Shiite community in December 2015, killing hundreds of defenseless civilians there, while a few hours later, the military arrested Sheikh Zakzaky after raiding his house and killing three of his sons, assistants and followers.
Sheikh Zakzaky lost his left eye sight in a raid, while, during the raid, Zakzaky’s wife sustained serious wounds too. Zakzaky, his wife, and a large number of the cleric’s followers have since been in custody.
Political activists said later the Nigerian army forces buried and set fire on the corpses of those Shiite Muslims who had been killed during the recent raids in Zaria region.
Members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria have also demanded setting up of a judicial commission of inquiry to probe the killings of their colleagues in Zaria, while, according to a report, the Army discriminately shot dead as many as 347 Muslims while swooping on the followers of the country’s leading Shiite cleric.
Despite the ruling of a Federal High Court, which ordered his unconditional release in 2016, the Nigerian government has refused to set him free.
In early January, a UK-based NGO known as the Islamic Human Rights Commission, voiced concern over the health condition of the detained Muslim cleric.
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