The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Solomom Arase has disclosed that Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, the spiritual leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria is currently receiving treatment in an undisclosed medical facility being guarded by the police.
Arase disclosed this to members of the special committee of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, NSCIA, who paid him a visit in his office on Monday, Premium Times reports.
NSCIA had last week constituted a seven-man committee, with Daud Naibi as chairman and Ishaq Oloyede, Muzammil Hanga, Abubakar Tsav, Ibrahim Suleiman, Yusuf Ali and Abubakar Siddique as members. The committee was saddled with the mandated of meeting with all parties involved in the clash and report back to the council.
Members of the Islamic movement also known as Shi’ites had on December 12 and 13 been involved in a clash with the convoy of the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, in Zaria. The clash left a yet to be ascertained number of the sect members, including its second-in-command, Muhammad Turi, dead.
Buratai had earlier said the Shi’ite leader and other suspects arrested during the clash were handed over to relevant authorities for prosecution but did not disclose the relevant authority.
A police source who spoke with the medium said the NSCIA delegates during the meeting with the Inspector-General and all the Deputy Inspectors General of Police, Assistant Inspectors General of Police and Commissioners of Police at the Force Headquarters in Abuja sought to know the whereabouts of El-Zakzaky.
The report further quoted the source as saying that Arase told the delegates that the Shi’ite leader was in police custody receiving treatment, but could not yet grant anyone access to him until his health improves.
Arase assured the delegation that El-Zakzaky was doing well and not under any life-threatening condition.
The police boss reportedly disclosed that after El-Zakzaky’s recuperation, he would have to seek “orders from the above” before allowing the NSCIA delegation access to the sect leader.
The delegates were said to have also requested the police boss to allow the bodies of those killed in the clash to be released to their families for burial.
The delegation also demanded to know the exact number of those killed and injured in the clash and wanted access to the injured.
In his response, the police boss promised he would revert to the NSCIA after seeking permission on the best response to the delegation’s requests.
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