Police officers attacked hundreds of Shiite protesters who were demanding the release of their imprisoned leader Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, at the National Assembly complex on Monday, January 8, 2018.

According to a report by Premium Times, the group arrived at the gate around 12pm and tried to forcefully gain entrance into the complex where they were pushed back by security.

A police reinforcement later fired tear gas at the crowd of protesters to disperse them before they were chased as they scattered looking for sanctuary.

El-Zakzaky's imprisonment

The 64-year-old cleric has been in custody for two years after the Nigerian Army raided his residence in Zaria and killed hundreds of his followers, including three of his sons in December 2015.

This was a direct consequence of his followers' clash with the convoy of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai.

Despite the court order of Justice Gabriel Kolawole calling for his release on December 2, 2016, after he ruled that the government's justification of "holding him for his own protection" is insufficient, the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria is still in government custody with his wife.