The convener of Concerned Nigerians group, Deji Adeyanju, has been arrested and detained on the order of the Inspector General of Police, according to a statement by the group.
The Police, had Thursday last week arrested and detained Adeyanju for participating in the #ElZakzaky daily sit-out at the Unity Fountain. He was released after public condemnation of the disruption of the sit-out by the police.
However, the civil rights activist was detained on Monday after he honoured the invitation from the office of the IGP.
“We condemn the illegal detention of our Convener, Deji Adeyanju by the Inspector General of Police. Deji Adeyanju honoured an invitation from the office of the inspector General of Police at about 10am this morning and was in the office of the IG of Police when the protesters at the Human Rights Commission were being harassed by officers and men of the Nigerian Police.
We hereby demand the immediate release of our Convener Deji Adeyanju and ask the Nigeria Police and the IG to respect the right to freedom of assembly as enshrined in our constitution,” the group said in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Theophilus Abu Agada on Monday.
The group said that detention of Adeyanju over the incident at the Human Rights Commission is another attempt by the government to intimidate individuals into submission.
“We call for justice for the IMN member that was brutally murdered today by the Nigerian police and the officers responsible for this unfortunate death be brought to justice. We are greatly displeased that our group and that of Islamic Movement of Nigeria, would in a space of one week be gruesomely attacked by the Nigerian Police for exercising our fundamental right to peacefully assembly as enshrined in our constitution.
Like we have always emphasized, the Nigerian Police should desist from infringing on our right to peaceful assembly and movement as guaranteed by the constitution. We are peaceful organization and our conducts since the inception of our daily sit-out has been very peaceful.
We equally condemn the reprisal attack by the Shiites that resulted in the destruction of properties of innocent Nigerians today. We enjoin the IMN group to always remain peaceful as they’ve always been since their leader was illegally detained. An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind,” the group added.
According to IMN, at least one person was killed and over 30 injured as protesting Shiites were dispersed by security operatives in Abuja on Monday
The protesters were demanding the release of the leader of IMN, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, who has been detained without trial for over two years
In December 2015, the Nigerian Army raided the residence of El-Zakzaky in Zaria, seriously injured him, and killed hundreds of his followers; since then, he has remained under state detention in the nation’s capital against court order that he should be released and compensated by the government.
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