Amnesty Int’l Tells Shiites How To Seek Justice For Zakzaky

The Amnesty International (AI) has advised the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), to go beyond the shores of Nigeria in seeking justice for its leader, Ibrahim Zakzaky and members held in detention by the Kaduna state government.

Osai Ojigho, AI country director, in an interview on The Osasu Show with Osasu Igbinedion said the Shiites should go outside the Nigerian judiciary.

AI advised the group to petition the African Commission on People’s and Human Rights, the ECOWAS court of justice amongst others.

According to the organization, until all avenues are exhausted, “they still have a lot more to do”.

He said, “I think they should not relent in their constant agitation for justice in this matter. In recent times, they have taken protests, some in Abuja. Some cases have also been tried to be stopped. But everyone has the right to protest if they feel their rights are being violated.

“But they can go beyond that and can now begin to explore beyond the shores of Nigeria. There is the African Commission on People’s and Human Rights, there is the ECOWAS court of justice which is also situated here in Abuja.

“Can the regional mechanisms here in Africa give them an alternative hearing and can the Nigerian state be called to order by these institutions in order to ensure that the rights of El-Zakzaky and his followers who have been illegally and unconstitutionally detained can be addressed at this level.

“I think until those avenues are exhausted, they still have a lot more to do in that regard. And to also get other actors.

“They don’t need to be faith-based because they are a faith-based organisation. Get human right actors, the Nigerian Bar Association to actually look at this issue from a rule of law perspective. From that angle, perhaps, there could be a delegation separate from the Shi’ites, who could say in this matter, we want the rule of law respected,” Ojigho said.