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Nigerian Army Clears Air On Whereabouts Of Zakzaky, Wife

The Nigerian Army on Wednesday said the the leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky and his wife are not dead but … Continue reading Nigerian Army Clears Air On Whereabouts Of Zakzaky, Wife


Army_SpokesmanThe Nigerian Army on Wednesday said the the leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky and his wife are not dead but in protective custody.

“I want you to understand that the leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria and his wife, Contrary to rumours going on is alive”, the Army Spokesman, Col. Sani Usman, said on Sunrise daily.

The Army Spokesman, however, noted that there “was no procession” by the Islamic group on Saturday and maintained that “around 2:30PM along Sokoto Road, just shortly by the railway clinic, a group of youths started springing up all over the place, coming from the PZ end and the Hussainiyya Bakiya, which is the spiritual headquarters of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria and started encircling the convoy of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS).

“We came down and pleaded with them and made them to see reason”, alleging that youths refused to pay heed to them and they started pelting stones (on the convoy of the COAS) and there were loud bangs here and there, so the people responsible for the safety and security of the Chief of Army Staff had to clear the way.

“They were burning tires, pelting stones and no amount of that could get them to do otherwise and insisted that they have done it to several other people and the Chief of Army Staff is not an exception”, he said.

He accused the Islamic movement of planning the attack, quoting the leader from an interview he granted the Hausa service of the BBC, Col. Usman said “he said they were hoisting a flag” adding that “this is the Federal Republic of Nigeria and there is no other flag that is sacred than the national flag.

“All these things were premeditated, they were planned. The reception party that went to SYS Dogarawa from Depot Nigerian Army passed the same place barely 20 minutes and there wasn’t anything.

“The arrival of the Chief of Army Staff was widely publicised and it was his they decided to ambush, for reasons known to them. So for anybody to think or say otherwise, it begs for more questions on that side”, he said.

He also mentioned instances in the past where the movement have acted in ways that have put residents of Zaria City and motorists that ply the Zaria-Kaduna and Zaria-Kano routes in discomfort and warned “anyone who is not ready to operate within the ambit of the Nigerian law” to be ready to face the consequences of his/her action.