Falana issues 24-hr ultimatum to DSS over Zakzaky, wife

Lagos lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, has demanded that the Department of State Services, DSS,  release unconditionally, within 24 hours, the leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) Sheik Ibraheem Zakzaky and his wife, Hajia Zeenat Ibraheem from detention

Falana made the demand in a letter dated April 5 to the Director-General of DSS, Lawal Daura, alleging that his clients were denied access to their family and doctors since their arrest.

According to Falana, on December 12, thousands of armed soldiers allegedly unleashed violent attacks on IMN members in Zaria, Kaduna State on the orders of the Chief of Army Staff, General Tukur Buratai who claimed that the unarmed civilians wanted to assassinate him.

He further contended that although his clients were not at the scene of the attack, the rampaging troops invaded their residence at Wali Street, Zaria last December 14.

Falana wrote in the letter: “The troops set the building ablaze and killed three of our clients’ children in their presence and thereby subjected them to untold mental agony.”

Continuing, Falana said the police and the DSS have compounded their physical pain and mental anguish by holding them incommunicado for over three months.

Read also: Soldier killed, two expatriates kidnapped in Bayelsa state

According to him, three of Zakzaky’s children were killed in a similar attack in 2014 without any lawful justification.

The activist-lawyer further stressed that the report of the fact finding Commission of Enquiry set up by the government was yet to be released, while the military personnel who allegedly killed his clients’ children and other unarmed civilians have not been brought to justice.

He added that some of the victims who survived the attack have been charged for culpable homicide by the Kaduna State government.

“Notwithstanding that  such criminal charges  are pending at the Kaduna High Court, the Kaduna State Government  has set up a judicial Commission of Enquiry to investigate the same subject matter.

“Our clients were only permitted to meet with us last Friday after several requests made by us had been turned without any legal basis.

“In the light of the foregoing, our clients and members of the IMN have resolved not to participate in the proceedings of the said Judicial Commission of Enquiry in any manner whatsoever and howsoever.

“Finally, we hereby demand for the immediate and unconditional release of our clients from illegal detention within 24 hours of the receipt of this letter,” Falana said.

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