Tension as court refuses to release IMN leader, El-Zakzaky

A federal high court has told leader of IMN that his application for immediate release from prison is declined on technicality grounds – The presiding judge, Justice Okon Abang said El-Zakzaky’s lawyer failed to serve the application to respondents in the case – Earlier on Monday, August 29, members of the Shi’ite group held a protest in Asokoro, Abuja, demanding El-Zakzaky’s release Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Ibrahim El-Zakzaky has been told by a federal high court that he has to stay in detention for longer time A federal high court in Abuja has refused to grant an application by leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky seeking his prompt release from detention. According to Leadership newspaper, quoting News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the court, presided over by Justice Okon Abang, declined to honour El-Zakzaky’s application on Monday. READ ALSO: Northern CAN condemns recent killings in Zamfara According to Abang, he turned down the application because the applicant failed to serve the Department of State Security, the Inspector General of Police and the Attorney General of the Federation who were joined as respondents. He said, no matter the urgency of the matter, the applicant ought to have served the respondents. Not doing so, Abang, said that makes the application incompetent and thereby struck out the application. READ ALSO: Fast all in one — UC Browser Abang explained that the matter was initially assigned to Justice Gabriel Kolawole by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court. Counsel to El-Zakzaky, Mr Abubakar Masha, instituted the suit seeking for enforcement of fundamental human rights on behalf of his client. This ruling comes just as IMN members held a protest on Monday, August 29 at Asokoro, Abuja over the continued detention of El-Zakzaky. The group were heard chanting “free our leader”.Read more: https://www.naij.com/946972-tension-court-tells-imn-leader-el-zakzaky-remain-detention-reason.html