The Academic Forum of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria on Tuesday urged the U.S. to prevail on the Federal Government to release their detained leader, Sheik Ibrahim Zakzaky.
The group staged a peaceful protest at the U.S Embassy in Abuja and said that it had become expedient for the government to release the Islamic leader because of his failing health.
Leader of the protesters, Malam Abdullahi Musa, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the protest was the 91st the group was embarking on since Zakzaky was detained in 2015.
“Recent medical check-up carried out by concerned Nigerians and medical professionals show that the only remaining eye of Sheik Zakzaky which was affected with glaucoma was deteriorating.
“An urgent surgery is needed abroad as no hospital in Nigeria can handle his situation successfully.
“It has also been confirmed that Sheik is still suffering from the impact of stroke he suffered from some weeks ago and bullet injuries, such that he is still ill and in urgent need of medical attention abroad.
“His wife, Zeenah, suffers from increasingly frequent stomach pains due to bullets and other harmful particles that are in her stomach.
“She also suffers from cartilage problem (osteoarthritis) which makes it difficult for her to walk and is in dire need of medical attention abroad,’’ he said.
Musa said that Zakzaky had been shot at close range, but Allah kept him alive from the barbaric attack of December, 2015.
He said that Allah was with the cleric, “who was attacked because of his stance against injustice, corruption, crime against humanity, disunity of the people and imperialism.
“We will not be satisfied until Sheik Zakzaky is free from tyrannical detention, until all those that are involved in the killing of over 1, 000 innocent people in Zaria and other places are brought to book.”
No official of the U.S embassy came out to address the protesters who sang and chanted other things for about 20 minutes.
The embassy security personnel cordoned off the area, forcing the protesters to depart in frustration at about 1.15 p.m.
NAN
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