Scores of protesters, on Monday, stormed the Abuja Division of the
Federal High Court over the judgment that ordered the unconditional release of
detained leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, IMN, otherwise known as the
Shiite sect, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky.
Brandishing various placards and
banners, the protesters who were under the aegis of The Coalition for Good
Governance and Change Initiative, CGGCI, urged the National Judicial Council,
NJC, to immediately probe Justice Gabriel Kolawole who gave the judgement. In a
letter they forwarded to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice
Ibrahim Auta, the group, insisted that the verdict which was delivered last
week Friday, was a “dangerous Precedence”. They contended that the ruling, “has
dangerous implication for IPOB/MASSOB separatists, militants and even killer
herdsmen (when eventually apprehended) will try to use the judiciary in the
future to stand logic on its head”. According to them, Justice Kolawole ordered
FG to within 45 days, release both El-Zakzaky and his wife, without recourse to
the consequences it would have on law enforcement, security, anti-terror fight,
terrorism, extremism and secessionist movements in Nigeria.
“Viewed against the background of the recent clamp down on corruption in
the Judiciary, it is therefore now glaringly clear that the third arm of
government has been compromised and is apparently part of the terror
infrastructure. “We had in the past blamed security and law enforcement
agencies for not being able to secure enough convictions of terror suspect
because of non-diligent prosecution, but we now know better that it is money
judgment that has allowed terrorism the space to thrive. “In the space of on
week, the judiciary has ordered dangerous fanatics and demagogues to be
returned to the streets to resume brainwashing, radicalizing and militarizing
vulnerable youths in the population.
“This could have only been in keeping with fulfilling obligations
entered into for less than honourable considerations even as we cannot rule out
a judiciary that is taking its pound of flesh from an executive arm that has
exposed the sleaze on its soiled bench. “If the entire judiciary has activated
its vendetta against the security agencies that they see as the executive arm,
the precedence set by Justice Gabriel Kolawole took things to the ridiculous by
awarding N50million of tax payers’ money to finance IMN’s radicalisation
programme while also asking that the police further deploy its personnel to
protect a man whose sect members would invariably kill like they had killed
soldiers and policemen in recent past. “This judge also failed to realise
the weight of his utterance that has basically ordered the government to build
a new headquarters for a proscribed group- we do hope he will keep himself on
the bench for when other terror groups approach to demand for the government to
build them headquarters. “The house demolished in Gyellesu, on which the
directive to build a new one for this demagogue, originally belonged to Alhaji
Ismail Gwarzo the DG NSO under late General Sani Abacha. “El-Zakzaky was given
the seized house by Gen Abduksalam because people of Babban Dodo had at time
also rebelled against IMN occupation which made them to burn his initial hub
after he was released from another arrest for insurrection.
“The bottom line is that we are in trouble as
a nation with someone like Justice and his like who still stink and believe
that Justice should be for the highest bidder. “We find it most ridiculous that
the honourable judge explained his confounding ruling to release someone this
dangerous as a product of his fear. He rightly said he feared for what could
happen if El-Zakzaky dies in protective custody as this would lead to the loss
of many lives. “This in itself is an admission that the IMN, which El-Zakzaky
leads, is a virulent and feral that has repeatedly stated its hatred and
rejection of the Nigerian state, which pays Justice Kolawole’s salary”, read
the statement which was signed by National Coordinator of the group, Mr.
Okpokwu Ogenyi.
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