Court orders release of detained Shiite leader, El-Zakzaky, Wife;

Justice Gabriel Kolawole,of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Friday, ordered the unconditional release of detained leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), otherwise known as the Shiite sect, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky and his wife, Malami Zeenat, within 45 days.


The court held that the continued detention of the applicant without trial amounted to a gross violation of his constitutionally guaranteed rights.
It went ahead and awarded N50m damages against the Federal Government, even as it ordered the construction of a new accommodation for El-Zakzaky’s family in any part of Kaduna State or the Northern region. 

The court dismissed FG’s position that the applicant and his wife were under “protective custody”, saying such protection was “unknown to any law in Nigeria”. 

Justice Kolawole also noted that FG failed to by way of evidence, substantiate its claim that the defendant constituted a threat. Meanwhile, Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has hailed the Federal High Court, Abuja judgement describing the ruling APC, party as a law-breaker.