Shiite Muslim Leader, Ibrahim El-zakzaky
Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, on Thursday, December 17 said the arrested Shi’ite sect leader, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zak-Zaky, is no longer in the custody of the Army.
Gen. Buratai spoke when he met with a delegation from the Nigerian Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) at the Army Headquarters in Abuja.
Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai
Buratai, who was responding to the request by NSCIA to meet with the sect leader, said El-Zak-Zaky had been handed over to the appropriate authorities for prosecution.
“As a responsible and law abiding organisation, we will do all that we can to always safeguard lives and property.
“As for the whereabouts of the Shi’ite leader, he is not in our custody; he has been handed over to the appropriate authorities for prosecution because we don’t prosecute," he said.
“What happened was avoidable and unfortunate, we followed the rules of engagement as enshrined in the constitution but what happened still happened," Buratai added.
He also dismissed claims in some quarters that the Army was after members of the sect.
He said that the army was only carrying out its constitutional duties.