The Federal Government of Nigeria has denied involvement in the
\ncontinued detention of the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria,
\nSheik Ibraheem El-Zakzaky and his wife despite numerous court orders for
\nhis release discarded by the President Muhammadu Buhari led
\nadministration.<\/p>\n
In a statement by Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President
\non media and publicity, the Presidency says the issue of El-ZakZaky was
\nbefore the court in Kaduna, urging his supporters to focus on his
\nongoing trial instead of causing daily damages, disruptions and public
\nnuisance in Abuja.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Federal Government called on Shiite members to desist from needless
\nviolent street protests and await the decision of the court in Kaduna
\nwhere their leader is currently being tried.<\/p>\n
The statement reads in part, \u201cIt is wrong to be in court and resort to
\nviolence at the same time to get justice for anybody accused.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe destruction of public property in the name of protest is not within
\nthe right of this group of Shiite members and no government anywhere
\nwould have tolerated a situation where any group would take over public
\nroads in cities as they have done in Abuja and interfere with the rights
\nof other citizens who are prevented from reaching their destinations.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe imagine a situation where families are taking their loved ones to
\nhospital for emergency treatment and they are held up needlessly by the
\nprotesters. No government anywhere in the world would turn a blind eye
\nto this unlawful behaviour.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs far as this country\u2019s Ministry of Justice is concerned, the case
\ninvolving El-Zakzaky is no longer in its domain. The Federal Government
\nno more has hands in the matter and to that extent, the government at
\nthe centre can be said to be clear of any alleged violations of court
\norders as being trumpeted every day.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shehu added that the open protest was an embarrassment to the President
\nwhich will lead nowhere.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese rallies and street dances ostensibly to openly insult the
\nPresident and other leaders, threatening bloodshed will lead nowhere
\nbecause President Buhari will not ask the country\u2019s judiciary to abandon
\ndue process and set a suspect free. At the same time, the administration
\nis determined to enforce the decision of the court issued. The Buhari
\nadministration has absolutely no hand in the on-going court case and the
\ncourts are free to determine the bail request and the outcome.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe mentality that you are above the law and that your rights are
\nsuperior to other people’s rights is unacceptable.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can’t be provoking other citizens by interfering with their rights
\non public roads and disrupting their businesses and call it democratic
\nfreedom. In democratic traditions, their rights end where the rights of
\nothers begin.<\/p>\n
\u201cLaw-abiding citizens must avoid deliberate lawlessness. It is not
\nwithin the rights of any group to enter protected public institutions
\nsuch as the National Assembly by force to attack police and destroy
\npublic and private property.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is always advisable to embrace dialogue and eschew violence in all
\nour actions so that we can continue to live together in peace.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe, therefore, appeal to the Shiite group to stop deliberate
\nprovocations that result in violence and fatalities and allow the trial
\nof El-ZakZaky to take its course.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Federal Government of Nigeria has denied involvement in the continued detention of the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Sheik Ibraheem El-Zakzaky and his wife despite numerous court…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":48506,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-67742","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exclusive"],"yoast_head":"\n