At least 19 members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), also known as Shi’ites, were on Thursday arrested by the police in Abuja while protesting the continued seizure of the passports of their leader, Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky and his wife, Zeenah. The IMN leader and his wife had been acquitted and discharged by a Kaduna high court in July 2021.
The protest kick-started at Federal High Court in Maitama was abruptly terminated at Eagle Square near the Federal Secretariat when armed security operatives arrived and attacked them.
The incident led to pandemonium in the area as passers-by were seen scampering to safety. Sahara Reporters reported that many protesters sustained varying degrees of injury while others were seen lying unconscious on the ground after being hit by teargas canisters.
The Federal Capital Territory Police Command on Thursday in a statement signed by its spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, confirmed the arrest of some of the protesters.
“IMN members numbering over 400 staged a protest from Federal High Court to Eagle Square blocking roads following the court’s ruling on the passport of their leader, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky. “The protest was after the court rejected an application filed by El-Zakzaky asking the Department of State Services (DSS) to release his passport and that of his wife. “However, Justice Obiora Egwuatu in his ruling said El-Zakzaky failed to prove that the DSS took the passports away, after his return from India.
“IMN members threw stones and other dangerous objects at the police officers and they were, however, dispersed with 19 of them arrested and will be charged to court,” the police said.
