The Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) has demanded the release of members of the group who were either injured or killed in the July 22 protest over the continuous detention of their leader, Ibrahim Zakzaky.
In a statement by spokesman of the Academic Forum of the IMN, Abdullahi Muhammad Musa on Wednesday, the sect said that 11 of the 63 detained protesters still in police custody are carrying “life-threatening injuries”, while 12 corpses of members were not released to their families for funeral.
The IMN also alleged that the police attacked and took away several injured victims admitted at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital and others to unknown locations, an action it said violates their fundamental human rights.
“It is pertinent to remind the Police that detaining ‘Free-Zakzaky’ protesters, including female and minors, for more than two weeks with life-threatening injuries and denying them any medical treatment is a sinister disrespect for the laws of the land and United Nation Human Rights Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment,” he said.
The IMN recalled the stance of the authorities that they could do nothing about the fate of Sheikh Zakzaky, despite his deteriorating health and the calls for his release, until the court decides, that they should quicken his release and trip for medical treatment overseas as recently ordered by a court.