“Respect court judgement and release El-Zakzaky”-IMN to FG

The Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) has hailed the Kaduna state high court’s decision to release its leader, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, and his wife, Zeenat, as a triumph over tyranny and impunity.

El-Zakzaky and Zeenat were freed on Wednesday after Gideon Kurada, the presiding judge, ruled on a no-case submission filed by Femi Falana, their lawyer.

See also Eid-El-Kabir; President Buhari Gifts Cows, Cash to Corp Members.

The Kaduna state government failed to build a prima facie case against the defendants, according to the judge.

El-Zakzaky and his wife were charged with an eight-count accusation that included culpable homicide, unlawful assembly, and public disturbance, among other things.

The defendants had entered not guilty pleas to the accusations that had been brought against them.

Following battles between IMN members and soldiers in Zaria, Kaduna state, the couple had been detained since December 2015.

See also Bandits Free Kidnapped Kaduna Students.

Ibrahim Musa, IMN’s spokesperson, claimed the ruling vindicated all of the group’s members in a statement released on Wednesday.

Musa said the victory is “perseverance in the face of extreme persecution by the Nigerian government”.

“With this victory in court today, the false charges filed against them has finally been punctured for good after almost five years of excruciating illegal detention,”

the statement reads.“This judgement has not only vindicated them and all members of the Islamic movement in Nigeria, but it is certainly a victory for perseverance in the face of extreme persecution by the Nigerian government. It is a victory for truth and justice against tyranny and impunity.

“It will be recalled that the Kaduna state government filed charges against Sheikh Zakzaky and his wife as an afterthought a year and a half after a federal high court in Abuja had ruled that their continued detention was unconstitutional, illegal and a severe breach of their fundamental rights and thereby must be set free and compensated.

See also Lack of Spare Parts Responsible For Recurring Breakdown of Abuja-Kaduna Train

“The government however remained in contempt until they decided to frame these spurious false charges in an attempt to perpetually keep them in their illegal custody.

“We, therefore, give praises to the Almighty for yet another successful outing, which further proves to the world that the Islamic Movement and its leader, are only victims of impunity and mischievous plots by both the Buhari-led federal government and the El-Rufai-led Kaduna state government.”

IMN asked the federal government to respect the judgement of the court and release El-Zakzaky and his wife with immediate effect.