Contempt: After Blueprint’s report, Police release 3 Shi’ite protesters’ corpses 

After Blueprint’s report and three years after the ‘Free-Sheikh Zazaky protesters’ corpses were seized, the Nigerian Police Wednesday, released the corpses to the Islamic group.

The police released 3 out of 9 the corpses of protesters in their custody. 

The bodies released are that of Shaheed Suleiman Shehu,

Shaheed Bilyaminu Abubakar Faska, and Shaheed Yakubu Yahaya Faska.

Earlier, the group had at a press conference held in Abuja on 3rd October, 2022, vowed to continue with contempt of court proceedings filed against the Inspector General of Police in respect of their request.

The protesters were allegedly killed by the police on Monday, 22nd July, 2019 at Federal Secretariat, Abuja, while protesting against the unlawful detention of Sheikh Ibraheem Ya’qoub El-Zakzaky and his wife, Malama Zeenah Ibraheem. 

The police officers allegedly attacked the procession and opened fire on the protesters which led to instant killing of 12 protesters, 1 unknown person, Usman Umar (Deputy Commissioner of Police) and Precious Owolabi (a Journalist with Channels TV).

After the incident, the police were said to have evacuated corpses of the slain protesters, deposited 4 at National Hospital and 2 at Asokoro District Hospital.

Some of the protesters, it was learnt, were able to take away bodies of other 6 of those they alleged were brutally killed instantly.

Halima Aliyu of the Academic Forum of the Islamic movement stated further: “The police arrested many protesters and detained them at SARS facilities with neither medication nor feeding. 

“While languishing in custody, 3 protesters died and their corpses were moved to Asokoro District Hospital.”