The Shiite movement in Nigeria, also known as the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, IMN, has protested the continued detention of their leader, Ibrahim Zakzaky at the National Assembly premises, warning that his eye condition was deteriorating.

The protesters under the aegis of the Academic Forum of the Islamic Movement In Nigeria, AFIMN, decried the deteriorating eye condition of Zakzaky and urged the Federal Government to release him immediately in compliance with the judgment of the court.

Speaking on behalf of the protesters, leader of the group, S.I. Ahmed, expressed worry over Zakzaky’s health, saying it is now 125 days since the judgment of Justice Gabriel Kolawole ordering his release within 45 days.

“It is now obvious that those in the corridors of power flout the laws of the land with impunity,” he said.

The Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Ado Doguwa, who spoke to the protesters, pledged that the National Assembly was looking into the case.

It would be recalled that El-Zakzaky has remained in custody of the Department of State Services, DSS, since a fatal clash between members of the IMN and some Nigerian soldiers in December 2015, at Zaria, Kaduna State.

The clash led to the death of hundreds of Shiite members as confirmed by a panel of investigation formed by the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai.

The Panel however blamed El-Zakzaky for not calling his followers to order leading to the ugly incident. It also blamed the Nigerian Army for employing “excessive force” on the group.

Recall also that in December, 2016, Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the federal high court Abuja, had delivered a judgement in which he declared El-Zakzaky’s continued detention by the federal government as unlawful.

Kolawole ordered that the cleric be released within 45 days and that the federal government should pay him a compensation of N50 million as well as provide him with accommodation in Zaria or any other town of his choice in Northern Nigeria.