El - Zakzaky shiite leader to be charge for felony.

The leader of the Shi’ite Islamic group, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, is being kept at a police detention facility in Kaduna State, it was learnt on Tuesday.

Our correspondent gathered that El-Zakzaky was handed over to the police for investigation in the aftermath of the bloody clash between his followers and soldiers in December, 2015.

It was gathered that the Shi’ite leader might face felony charges upon the conclusion of investigation by the police into his activities which were said to have grave security implications.

A source said, “El-Zakzaky is being kept at a detention facility in Kaduna; he cannot be released for now because he is being investigated by the police.

“In fact, a probe of El-Zakzaky’s activities is ongoing and the investigating team is headed by an Assistant Inspector-General of Police, so he is not likely to be released anytime soon. Those calling for his release don’t know the gravity of the security breaches he had committed.”

Some members of the Shi’ite Islamic group were earlier arraigned at the Chief Magistrate Court 1,Zaria Road, Kaduna and charged with criminal conspiracy and inciting public disturbances.

It could not be confirmed if the plea of the accused were taken or if they had legal representation, but it was learnt that they had been remanded in prison custody.

The Shi’ite followers had had a clash with soldiers in December 2015 during which about 20 persons were killed.

Their leader, El-Zakzaky, was subsequently taken into custody by the Army before he was released to the police for investigation.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Olabisi Kolawole, declined to comment on El-Zakzaky’s case. She said she could not disclose where he was being kept for security reasons.

“All I can tell you is that El-Zakzaky is safe, secure and very fine; he is doing well, but I can’t tell you where he is being kept or whether he is with us (police) or not,” she stated on Tuesday.

sunonline