FG Charges Shiite Leader El-Zakzaky For Murder

The Federal Government has charged leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, and three others for murder.

The Kaduna State government, on Thursday, filed before the Kaduna State High Court, an eight-count charge bordering on culpable homicide, inciting disturbance and promoting unlawful assembly.

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The three others are Mallama Zeenah Ibrahim, Yakub Yahaya Katsina and Sanusi Abdulkadir Koki, all identified as leaders of the IMN.

The development comes more than two years after the clash between the Nigeria Army and members of the sect, which led to the arrest of El-Zakzaky.

The defendants are accused of causing the death of a soldier, Cpl Yakubu Dnakaduna, an offence if found guilty is punishable by death.

Recall that El-Zakzaky and his wife has been held by the Federal Government since December 2015 despite court rulings authorising his release.

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The government claims he is held in a “protective custody”.

His continued detention has led to series of protests by Shiites in several parts of the country, with the latest being in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.

The first and second count charge reads as follows: “That you, Mallam Ibrahim Al-Zakzaky, Mallama Zeenah Ibrahim, Yakub Yahaya Katsina and Sanusi Abdulkadir Koki being leaders of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria on or about the 12th day of December 2015 at Zaria agreed along with other members of the Sect to do an illegal act, to wit: while armed with dangerous weapons such as pistols, guns, dane guns, cutlasses, knives, catapult, axes, clubs and sticks blocked Sokoto Road, Sabon Gari, Zaria and other major roads within the environs and prevented the convoy of the Chief of Army Staff and the general public from gaining access to the roads and same act was done in pursuance of the said agreement and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 59 of the Penal Code Law of Kaduna State 2017.

“That you, Mallam Ibrahim Al-Zakzaky, Mallama Zeenah Ibrahim, Yakub Yahaya Katsina and Sanusi Abdulkadir Koki being leaders of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria on or about the 12th day of December 2015 at Zaria abetted the commission of the offence of Culpable Homicide punishable with death by members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria which offence was committed by blocking Sokoto Road and major Roads in Zaria and its environs while armed with dangerous weapons such as such as pistols, guns, dane guns, cutlasses, knives, catapult, axes, clubs and sticks and in so doing caused the death of one 98NA/46/2900 Cpl Yakubu Dnakaduna of the Nigeria Army in the entourage of the Chief of Army Staff by shooting him with guns when the said 98NA/46/2900 Cpl Yakubu Dankaduna alighted from one of the vehicles in the entourage of the Chief of Army Staff in order to disperse the members of Islamic Movement in Nigeria and clear the road, which offence was committed in consequence of your abetment, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 47 and punishable under Section 190 of the Penal Code Law of Kaduna State 2017.”

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