Christopher Oji
Members of the lslamic Movement popularly known as ‘Shiites’, on yesterday staged a peaceful protest in Lagos demanding for the immediate and unconditional release of their leader, lbrahim al- Zakzaky.from detention.
The group who started the protest from Maryland sa matched through some streets in lkeja G.R.A , and ended it at the officer of Lagos Lawyer and rights activist, Femi Falana (SAN ) on Adekunke Fajuyi.
The protesters marched along Ladipo, Obateye streets and Oduduwa crescent with spray paints writing inscriptions such as ” Release El- Zakzaky, ” El – zakzaky has been poisoned” on the fence of some buildings in the area.
It was gathered that men of the Nigeria police were on standby at the scene, so as to prevent breakdown of law and order in the area.
Lagos State Police public relations officer, Bala Elkana who confirmed the incident said that the protest was indeed a peaceful one.
“The protest started around 10am at Maryland and terminated at Falana’s office on Adekunke Fajuyi. You know that Falana is their Lawyer.
“No arrest was made since it was a peaceful protest” he added.
The Lagos State Police Spokesman , however,. did not say if the protesters sought any permission from the Command before they embarked on the protest.
Recently a similar protest was staged by the Shiites at the National Assembly, which left a police inspector injured, after a face off with shiites.
The leader of the group, lbrahim al- Zakzaky was arrested by the Kaduna State government in 2015 and charged to court in April 2018, with murder, culpable homicide, unlawful assembling and disruption of public peace, following a bloody clash between shiites and soldiers in the entourage of the Chief of Army staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai in Zaira, Kaduna state.
