Shi’ites: Our leader is going blind… Osinbajo should release him

The Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) has appealed to Acting Yemi Osinbajo to release Ibrahim Zakzaky, its leader, who is allegedly going blind.

The Shiite leader and his wife were arrested in Kaduna in December 2015 after a clash between his followers and the military.

The army claimed that soldiers were forced to open fire on some Shi’ites plotting to assassinate Tukur Buratai, chief of army staff.

But the sect denied the allegation, saying the troops killed its defenceless members.

In a statement on Monday, IMN said the doctor attending to ZakZaky has confirmed that could go blind soon.

“The doctor attending to him has passed the message to the authorities, warning that he could go blind if not given the proper medical attention he deserves without further delay,” the statement read.

“The way and manner in which the federal government has been handling the health of the injured Sheikh Zakzaky for the past 13 months leaves much to be desired.”

“Thus far, the government has decided to play deaf, dumb and blind, as if all is well.

IMN appealed to Nigerians to join them in mounting pressure on government to release him, in compliance with court order and to enable him attend to his health.

The clash had been a subject of at least two probe panels, the Human Rights Commission and the Kaduna state government.