The Islamic Movement in Nigeria, IMN, has accused the Nigerian Police of starving some of its members arrested during the free El-Zakzaky protest.
IMN also claimed that the detainees have been denied the opportunity to pray their five times prayers incumbent upon Muslims.
The group, also known as Shittes, stormed Abuja yesterday in mass protest over the incarceration of the leader, Sheikh El-Zakzaky and his wife. The protest led to clashes with the police.
Shitte, in a statement sent to DAILY POST on Tuesday by its President, Media Forum, claimed that, “115 [of its members were] arrested after the Nigeria police attack the peaceful free Zakzaky protest yesterday in Abuja.”
The group said “ Our arrested members have been denied food, medical services and even the chance to pray the five daily prayers incumbent upon Muslims.”
It continued, “After their arrest in the afternoon yesterday, some of their relatives visited the detainees at the headquarters of SARS, Abuja, carrying food items for them, but were flatly denied access to them.
“When they enquired as to the reason why they would not be given food to it, they were told by the officers that it was an order from the Inspector General of police, Ibrahim Idris and the FCT police commissioner, Sadiq Bello.
“Even today in the morning the food items taken to the detainees, among whom are 15 women and underage children, were not served to them. It seems the top police officers are using hunger as a means of torture on their victims, which is against international law and practice.
“A lawyer contacted on the issue who pleaded anonymity has confided to us that, there is no law in the country that granted powers to the IG let alone the CP to deny detainees food to eat. “Unless they want them to die of hunger,” he said.
“As for denying the arrested to perform their prayers, we may wish to ask the Nigeria Police to explain to the world their source of authority for doing so.
“We wish to reaffirm our stand and demand that our leader Sheikh Zakzaky must be released from the illegal detention.”
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