Shiite leader reportedly in police custody

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January 6, 2016 2:29 PM

The leader of Shiite Muslims in Nigeria, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky is reportedly being kept at a police detention facility in Kaduna State.

National Leader of Shi'ite movement, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky

The leader of Shiite Muslims in Nigeria, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky is currently in police custody, reports say.

El-Zakzaky is being kept at a police detention facility in Kaduna State, according to Punch.

“El-Zakzaky is being kept at a detention facility in Kaduna; he cannot be released for now because he is being investigated by the police,” a source said.

“In fact, a probe of El-Zakzaky’s activities is ongoing and the investigating team is headed by an Assistant Inspector-General of Police, so he is not likely to be released anytime soon.

“Those calling for his release don’t know the gravity of the security breaches he had committed,” the source added.

The disclosure comes days after the Shiites urged the Federal Government to reveal El-Zakzaky’s location if it truly wants a peaceful resolution to the crisis between the group and the Nigerian Army.

Iran has also said via its Foreign Ministry that it had taken necessary steps to warn Nigeria on the continued detention of El-Zakzaky.

Soldiers engaged the Shiites in a battle after the group allegedly attempted to assassinate Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai on Saturday, December 12, 2015.

The conflict escalated after soldiers surrounded El-Zakzakyhome and arrested him. The Shiites have claimed that about 1000 members of the group died during the confrontation.

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Watch video of confrontation between Army and Shiites below:

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