I have just read the Press Release from the Department of State Service on El – Zakzaky. The Service in a statement signed by Dr. Peter Afunanya has admitted to receiving a court order granting bail to the leader of the Shiites. The statement agreed to the release of El – Zakzaky and concluded by saying that DSS’s compliance to the court order is due to it’s ” avowed commitment to the Rule of Law”.
El – Zakzaky has been held in detention since 2015. He was severally granted bail by competent court of law. DSS paid deaf ear to court orders. It forgot the part of it’s ” avowed commitment to the Rule of Law “.
Members of the Shiites took to the streets. They are not known to be peaceful people. They couldn’t manage their temper. What was supposed to be a peaceful demonstration became very violent. Hundreds of people were reported death. The government only responded by proscribing the Shiites and declaring it a terrorist organisation.
I read a letter from Iran only yesterday. Iran said El – Zakzaky is her citizen. They demanded the Nigerian government to release him for treatment. The Shiites are Islamists loyal to Iran. The world know where Iran stands on issue. I knew the Nigerian Government would respond. What I didn’t know was how the Nigerian Government was going to reply.
The response of the Nigerian Government is too fast. It gives an idea of fear. There is no way the captors of El – Zakzaky can offer a satisfactory explanation on why today’s court order is special. And why previous court orders were disrespected.
The DSS should forget about the ” avowed commitment to the rule of law ” narrative. We could be forced to ask about court orders on Dasuki. If the Service has repented, they can prove by obeying other court orders that it previously disrespected. The death of the hundreds who died in the struggle for the release of El – Zakzaky would have been avoided if DSS had seen the place of the rule of law that it is now preaching.
Endiong John
