The Federal government has defended the continued detention of the leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky inspite of the order of court and call by the international community for his release.
Amnesty International International had recently lambasted the Nigerian Government for flouting court orders in the release of El-Zakzay, who has been detained since 2015 following a clash between the army and member of his set that left hundreds dead and several others wounded.
The Presidency said that El-Zakzaky was been detained for public interest and national interests, the Islamic leader it was learnt is been kept from the public due to the injuries and brutalities he suffered in the hands of the military.
“The government is afraid of the reaction of the public and El-Zakzaky’s followers when they see the level of injuries and brutality he suffered in the hands of the army. They are scared of the reaction that will greet the release,” a source close to the religious leader said.
Citing section 14 (2) (b) of the Nigeria Constitution, the Presidency said “major constitutional policy objective of government as stated in the above section is public and not individual security.
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The Presidency while justifying further the detention of El-Zakzaky said “The issue of the release of Zak Zaky is not exclusively legal. It has security and public interest as against individual interest undertones”.
“Public interest and national security implications must be factored into consideration in line with international practices that conventionally place national security and public interest above any other individual claim of right”.
The Presidency source stated further that “the Fedaral Government of Nigeria is looking into the case with the public and security interest dimensions into consideration”.
In another ridiculous attempt to justify the detention of the wife of the Islamic leader, the source said “that El-Zakzaky’s wife was not of any security interests and therefore was merely keeping her husband company in the apartment in which he is kept”.
“She is not under detention. If it is her wish, that of her husband or of the IMAN, she will allowed to go home in a matter of hours,” he asserted.
He explained that El-Zakzaky’s spouse was picked up by the Department of Security Services, DSS beside her husband with bullet wounds following IMAN’s encounter with the army.
“They took her along with the husband, treated her wounds and allowed her to care for her husband upon his request on an occasion, the children joined them during Ramadan. That is what happened.”
