Popular Lagos human rights lawyer has petitioned the State Security Service demanding the unconditional release of the detained leader of the Shiite Islamic sect and his wife.
In a letter to the Director-General of the Department of State Security (DSS), popular Lagos-based human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has petitioned the State Security Service demanding the 'unconditional release' of Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, the detained leader of the Shi-ite sect, and his wife, Zeenat.
It can be recalled that El-Zakzaky and his wife have been in detention since December last year, after a violent clash between members of his sect and the Nigerian army.
More than 300 members were believed to to have been killed in the attack, which the army initially described as an attempt to assassinate Tukur Buratai, the Chief of Army Staff.
Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Falana in the letter dated April 5, is now demanding for their release from 'illegal detention' within 24 hours.
"Even though our clients have not been told that they breached any law, they have been denied access to their lawyers, personal physicians, and family members for over three months.
"Our clients were only permitted to meet with us last Friday after several requests made by us had been turned down without any legal basis," he said.
Falana said the 'murderers and vandals' were later joined by officials of the Kaduna State government who demolished the sect’s buildings with bulldozers.
"Although our clients were not at the scene of the attack, the rampaging troops invaded their residence at Wali Street, Zaria, on December 14. The troops set the building ablaze and killed three of our clients’ children in their presence and thereby subjected them to untold mental agony.
"Thereafter, the armed soldiers shot our clients several times. As a result of the brutal attack, Sheikh Zakzaky lost his left eye while doctors are currently battling to save the right one.
"To compound the physical pain and mental anguish that our clients were subjected to in the circumstance, the Nigeria Police Force and State Security Service have held them incommunicado for the past three and half months," Falana said.
Femi Falana also disclosed in the letter that armed soldiers shot at El-Zakzaky and his wife, Zeenat, several times.
"As a result of the brutal attack, Sheikh Zakzaky lost his left eye while doctors are currently battling to save the right one.
"To compound the physical pain and mental anguish that our clients were subjected to in the circumstance, the Nigeria Police Force and State Security Service have held them incommunicado for the past three and half months."
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