Yemi Osinbajo |
Members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, otherwise known
as Shiites, have criticised Vice President Yemi Osinbajo over his comments on
the continued detention of their leader, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, and some
other members of the sect.
They faulted the Vice President, who had said the failure of
the Federal Government to free El-Zakzaky after a court had ordered his release
was because the Federal Government had appealed the court judgment.
The spokesperson of the Shiites, Ibrahim Musa, in a
statement on Saturday, argued that it was unfortunate that Osinbajo, as a
Senior Advocate of Nigeria, could justify such “contempt of court.”
The group added that the government’s action was a gross
abuse of the legal process.
Musa said, “The Vice President knows quite well that an
appeal against a lower court judgment does not justify its disobedience without
suspension by a superior court.”
Consequently, the group urged Osinbajo to ensure that the
leader of the group is released without further delay, noting that the case of
the continued detention of their leader and his wife is the worst form of human
rights violation in history.
“It is the height of impunity that has ever been committed
by a democratic government in this country, to detain without a court order and
without charges for 15 months.
“It is even worse when a court has ordered the release of
such a person, and the government still contemptuously holds him.
“Even previously, under a military dictatorship headed by
Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, nobody was detained without an order made, pursuant to a
decree, the States Security Detention of Persons Decree Number 2 of 1984.
“Nobody was detained without an order made by the detaining
authority.
“Today, there is no such law. So, our case should not be
worse under a democratic dispensation as against what occurred in that military
junta,” the group said.
Musa added, “It is both curious and ridiculous that the VP,
not only because of his professional calling, but also as a SAN, would justify
contempt of court on mere appeal of a judgment without a contrary ruling or
stay of execution order by a superior court.”
The group reiterated their call for the Federal Government
to release their leader and his wife, as ordered by the Federal High Court,
Abuja.
“We also call for the immediate release of hundreds of IMN
members languishing in Kaduna prison and many detention centres across the
country,” the Shiites added.
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