Shiites under the leadership of Sheik Ibraheem Zakzaky yesterday appealed to the federal government to set free their members who have been in detention without being prosecuted.
In a statement issued by Ibrahim Usman, the Shiites said their two members were arrested at Kano and Kaduna states without cogent reasons.
The statement said: “On Saturday, March 16, 2013, Brother Haruna Abbas Ali was whisked away at the Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano by the Nigerian security operatives while returning from a trip. Since his arrest over a year now, Haruna Abbas Ali has been under detention without trial; his family and relatives were not allowed to visit him. From the beginning, it was not clear who actually arrested him; it was not until a team of the State Security Service (SSS) went to his house and conducted a search, that it became clear where he was. The attention of his lawyer had to be called to supervise the search. When they could find anything incriminating, they took with them his laptop which they said was to assist them in investigation.
“Since then, he has not been charged to court, and has not also been given bail. He is denied access to his family and well-wishers. In effort to enforce his fundamental human rights and liberty, a case was filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, where he is being detained. The court ruled that the SSS should present Haruna Abbas Ali before it, but they refused to obey the court order. Another related case is that of Ibrahim Husain. He was arrested at his house in Kaduna by a combined team of the military and security in the dark hours of the night, which violated arrest procedure. Like his colleague, Haruna Abbas Ali, the fundamental human right of Ibrahim Hussein has been infringed upon in the manner he was arrested and kept in custody for so long without trial.
“We, therefore, unequivocally call on the Nigerian government under Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to as a matter of urgency, to unconditionally release our brothers, and all Nigerians detained without trial, from custody. To all, human rights movements and well meaning Nigerians, they should bear witness to the treatment of our brothers, Haruna Abbas Ali and Ibrahim Hussain, which is beyond comprehension.”
