Members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria popularly known as Shi’ite followers resident in Gashua, Bade Local Government Area in Yobe state on Monday thronged the streets in protest to demand the immediate release of their leader, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, who was arrested during the Zaria clash.
The group members who converged in hundreds at about 10:00am, went on procession in commemoration of the birth of Prophet Muhammad and used the occasion to call on the Federal Government to release their leader without any conditions.
The protesters went round some major streets in Gashua town singing songs and carrying photograph of their detained Leader El-Zakzaky while others were carrying placards written ‘free Sheikh Zakzaky’. They expressed their concern over the continued detention of their leader.
The procession began from Faudiyya Islamic School along Abdullahi Masaba Street, moved to Alhaji Salele street, Sabon Gari Gashua and terminated at old NEPA. The Leader of the Islamic Movement in Gashua town, Abdullahi Bin Saidu, explained that celebrating the birth of Prophet Muhammad is an annual event.
He said, “We wish to express our sorrow over the continued detention of our leader by the federal government, it is unfair and unfortunate killing of our followers in Zaria city and detention of Sheikh Zakzaky.
“We strongly condemn this murder not to us alone but entire Muslims in the World, despite their propaganda on strict adherence to the rule of law and constitution, the constitution mandated every citizen freedom of worship, freedom of speech, freedom of movement without molestation but our blood has continued to flow.
“We call on the authorities concerned to immediately release our leader Zakzaky without any conditions, we want the government to know that Zakzaky has many followers over 20 million in Nigeria.”