According to a report by SaharaReporters, the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), otherwise known as Shiites' group has alleged that President Muhammadu Buhari connived with the Saudi Arabian government to suppress the leader of the IMN, Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky.
El-Zakzaky has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since December 2015.
In a statement made available to SaharaReporters, Secretary of the Academic Forum of IMN, Abdullahi Muhammad Musa, noted that about two statements have been issued from Riyadh, the Saudi Arabia capital showing that the Buhari-led government supported Saudi Arabia to suppress El-Zakzaky and his Islamic movement.
He alleged that Buhari had put Nigeria's sovereignty up for sale, which gave the Saudi Arabian government the perfect opportunity to strike.
Musa noted that the illegal attack, arrest, and detention of El-Zakzaky were only made possible because Buhari gave the order. He, however, warned that members of the IMN will continue to stage protests as long as the government refuses to release El-Zakzaky.
The statement read, “In the year 2018, in an interview with the Time Magazine, published on April 5, about three years after Zaria pogrom, the crowned prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammad bin Salman boasted of Riyadh’s success in the suppression of Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky. He said Riyadh sent Tehran packing from Africa.
"Over again, Dr. Zayeed Al-Amri, a member of the Saudi Arabia National Strategic Planning and Development Agency, commented briefly, during his interview with the Hausa Service of Deutsche Welle, a German radio station, that 'what the prince meant was since he announced his plans to attack the enemy, Saudi Arabia has successfully assassinated Iran in Yemen, Sudan and Somalia and Djibouti, as it has shattered her attempt to establish the Hezbollah regime in Nigeria and prevented Ibraheem El-Zakzaky from executing coup in the country'.
“Now, it is glaringly clear that Saudi Arabia and other countries piggybacked on Buhari and his brutal regime to kill Sheikh El-Zakzaky and annihilate the Islamic movement he founded and is yet leading. For, while the domestic accessories too, and the partners in the many war crimes, inclusive of murders, tortures, arsons, and a lot of wilful destruction get on with playing to the gallery, Riyadh has just about exposed herself, and has equally given their 'generous' co-conspirators away.
“Apparently Buhari put Nigeria's sovereignty up for sale, then Riyadh and her allies grabbed the perfect window of opportunity to have their bidding done. But, Nigerians should resent and be mindful of foreign interference in the internal affairs of our country.
“If Saudi Arabia and those giving her some backing succeed in their crazy crave for the annihilation of Sheikh El-Zakzaky and his followers, has anyone an inkling of which group of countries come next? Nigerians ought to take exception. The earlier the better, and the more preferable to folding hands seeing the worst happening (sic).
“From the ruinous execution of it to date, the Zaria massacre has become the talk of the country. The savage killing of brothers and sisters of the Islamic movement; the subsequent carting off and incarceration of our leader, His Eminence Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky; the arrest of over 200 brethren and the destruction of property owned by the Sheikh have rendered 1,866 children orphaned. But for Buhari's blunt approval and direct order, these could not have happened, nor even been considered.
“It all began on Saturday, December 12, 2015. On that day, the commemoration of the arrival of al-Rabi’ul al-Awwal, the birth month of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) was merely some hours to commence as the news bulletin had been on the ground. Then, there came the indefensible attack which culminated in unprecedented scenes of carnage that claimed more than 1,000 people, including Sheikh El-Zakzaky's three sons. Many alive with treatable injuries, some without the least bit, but were burnt, the Sheikh’s elder sister altogether.
“Instead of the brutal regime to make reference to or, rather, consult the report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry constituted by Kaduna State Government under the chairmanship of Honourable Justice Mohammed Lawal Garba to prosecute the perpetrators, it has dumped the victims in kangaroo litigation procedures, whiling away the time in delaying tactics.
“While condemning the role played by Saudi Arabia in Zaria massacre and Sheikh El-Zakzaky’s continued detention, we cannot afford to fold our hands and sit at home anymore, watching Buhari and his sponsors try hard to kill the Sheikh. We have been staging protests in Abuja and across the country as well. It will continue until he is released unconditionally, as the case is already at the International Criminal Court of Justice.”