Human Right’s lawyer, Mr Femi Falana has written to President Muhammadu Buhari, demanding the immediate release of the Shiites leader, Mr Ibrahim El Zakzaky from the custody of the Department of State Security (DSS).
Mr Falana recalled that a Federal High Court in Abuja had in December last year ordered the release of El-Zakzaky’s and his wife from the “illegal custody” of the secret service.
The court, according to him, also awarded them reparation of N50 million and directed the Federal Government to provide a temporary accommodation for them, owing to the military and the Kaduna state government demolishing their residence in Zaria area of the state.
But in his letter which was obtained by Channels Television on Wednesday, the lawyer reminded the President of his new year’s message urging the members of the Shia community to embrace peace and obey the laws of the land.
The letter read in part, “At the same time Your Excellency directed all law enforcement agencies in the country “to treat them humanely and according to the rule of law.”
“But in utter contempt of the aforesaid orders of the Federal High Court and in total disregard of Your Excellency’s directive, the State Security Service has refused to release the couple from illegal custody.
“Thus, the dangerous impression has been created by the State Security Service that the federal government does not operate under the Rule of Law.”
Mr Falana further accused the DSS of denying the Shiite’s leaders access to medical treatment abroad, even knowing the fact that he lost his eye during a raid by the security agents and is on the verge of losing another.
“Although Sheik Elzakzaky lost his left eye while he is on the verge of losing the right eye sequel to the brutal treatment meted out to him by the armed soldiers, the SSS has denied him foreign medical treatment recommended by the local specialists who had attended to him.
“Even the alternative arrangement put in place by the family of the Sheik to bring eye specialists from abroad to treat him in custody has equally been rejected without any legal justification,” he lamented.
Falana further chided the Judicial Commission of Enquiry set up by the state govt for not recommending the indefinite incarceration or prosecution of Sheik Elzakzaky and his wife on any criminal offence whatsoever upon its investigation in 2015.
CHANNELS
