Court adjourns ruling on El-Zakzaky’s bail application, as protesters block Federal Justice Ministry
A Kaduna High Court on Thursday fixed November 7 for ruling on the bail application filed by the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Ibrahim El-Zakzaky and his wife, Zinat.
Justice Gideon Kurada adjourned the matter after the prosecution counsel, Dari Bayero, complained of lack of adequate security in Kaduna town.
The prosecution explained that the security agencies had drafted personnel to strategic areas of the state to provide security for the visit of the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osibanjo, to Kaduna State.
Kurada therefore adjourned the case to November 7, to rule on the bail application.
Both the defence and prosecution counsel later told journalists that the heads of security agencies in the state had complained of their inability to draft adequate personnel to provide security at the court B
Bayero told reporters that the 3rd and 4th defendants, Yakubu Yahaya and Sanusi Abdulqadir, standing trial with the Shiites leader, were yet to be arrested.
It would be recalled that the 3rd and 4th defendants were served court summons through substituted services in publications in the Daily Trust and The Nation newspapers.
Recall that the Kaduna State Government had brought an eight-count charge against the IMN leader, his wife and the two other IMN leaders based in Katsina and Kano.
The IMN leader, his wife, Yahaya and Abdulqadir were charged with alleged conspiracy and abating culpable homicide, among other related offences.
Meanwhile hundreds of Shiites on Thursday locked down the Federal Ministry of Justice as they rallied again to demand the release of their leader, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, currently in the custody of the federal government.
The protest started from the federal secretariat and ended at the ministry.
According to the group’s spokesperson, Abdullahi Muhammad, the action was taken since “our leader would not be released to us”.
Muhammad said “today at a Kaduna High court, the ruling on the bail application of our leader was again adjourned to November 7.
“This is inhumane, the government keeps telling us they are protecting Zakzaky and keep coming up with excuses. We his followers are tired, and we want the minister of justice, Abubakar Malami, to do the needful by releasing our leader.”
Muhammad said the prosecution counsel, Dari Bayero, complained of lack of adequate security in Kaduna town and this made the judge, Gideon Kurada to adjourn the matter.
“The prosecution explained that the security agencies had drafted personnel to strategic areas of the state to provide security for the visit of the Vice President, Yemi Osibanjo, to Kaduna State.”
