Nigeria, April 13, 2016 – Incarcerated leader of the Shiite Islamic Movement, Sheikh El-Zakzaky today said he has filed a suit against the Nigerian government demanding N2 billion as general damage for violation of his fundamental human rights.
The Shiite leader who has been in the custody of the Department of State Security Service(DSS) is also demanding his unconditional release from detention.
Counsel to El-Zakzaky, Mr. Justus Okoye who made the revelation at a press conference in Kaduna said his client is demanding the N2billion as general damages for violation of his fundamental rights to life, dignity of his person, fair hearing, privacy and private property.
This is coming, following revelation that the Nigerian military massacred 347 members of his group during a clash with the sect in December 2015. Okoye told journalists that the leader of the Islamic Movement now limps while walking and that his left eye has been completely damaged, which he attributed to torture by the military authority.
“The continued detention of the Islamic leader from 14th day of December, 2015 till date without charging him to court before a properly constituted court of law is illegal and unconstitutional as it violates his fundamental human rights to fair hearing as enshrined in section 36 (5) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and article 7 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act (CAP A10) laws of the federation of Nigeria 2004”, he said, adding that denying his client access to his medical doctor is unconstitutional as it violates his fundamental rights to personal liberty and health as enshrined in section 35 of the constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria, (as amended) and articles 6 and 22 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act (CAP A10) Laws of the federation of Nigeria, 2004.”
He said that three children of his clients and hundreds of other members of the movement were massacred by armed soldiers and that his client was arrested at his home at No. 1 Wali road, Gyallesu, Zaria by armed soldiers in December.
