The police on Thursday dispersed a protest by some members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria also known as Shi’ites in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja.

The Shi’ites embarked on the protest to demand the release of the international passport of their leader, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky.

The protest was after a Federal High Court in Abuja rejected an application filed by El-Zakzaky asking the Department Of State Services (DSS) to release his passport and that of his wife.

Justice Obiora Egwuatu in his ruling said El-zakzaky failed to prove that the DSS took the passports away, after his return from India.

The protesting Shi’ite members marched to the Federal Secretariat in Abuja carrying banners and placards with various inscriptions, including some which read: “Buhari must remove the travel ban on Sheikh El-zakzaky.”

The protesters were later dispersed by police personnel deployed to the scene who shot canisters into the air.