Shi'ite Killings: Hold Buhari Responsible for Avoidable Deaths, APC Chieftain Tells ICC

A political activist and former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timi Frank, has said the death recorded at last Monday's violent clash between the police and the protesting Shi'ite members are avoidable, calling on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to hold President Muhammadu Buhari responsible.

Reacting to the clash which led to the death of many Shi'ite members; a Deputy Commissioner of Police and a staff of Channels Television, in a statement made available to journalists on Tuesday in Abuja, Frank demanded the unconstitutional release of the Shiite Muslim leader, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, to prevent the crisis from degenerating into more dangerous dimensions.

While commiserating with the families of a deputy commissioner of police, Channels Television staff and others who died during the violent clash, Frank accused Buhari administration of abuse of court process, saying the president has taken dictatorship to the ‘Next Level’.

The Bayelsa State-born political activist said security strategy in a crisis situation must be targeted to calm the situation and not shooting at protesters.

He reminded Buhari that when he personally led a protest against the police in 2014, no single shot was fired at his group.

According to him, no past government has supervised the killing of its citizens directly or indirectly like the current administration.

He warned against creating another terrorist group by deliberately disobeying court orders and refusing to release the leader of the Shiite by the APC government.

 

Frank, who said it was the right of the Muslim group to demand the release of their leader from illegal and unjustified detention, added that "whether we like it or not, Shiites members are Nigerians, therefore, Nigerians must condemn the clamp down on the group.

"The Buhari government has refused to obey all the court orders granting the Shiite leader bail before now. Why is Buhari government finding it difficult to obey the numerous court orders? It is also on record that the leaders of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and their Muslim counterparts had visited Buhari on this illegal detention as well as that of Sambo Dasuki, but the APC government has consistently paid deaf ears to all their concerns.

"The demand for his release has now gone international. In London recently, a group of protesters were seen calling for the release of El-Zakzaky and the United Kingdom Government did not send police to shoot the protesters even when the Shiite leader is from another country.

"Nigerians must speak up now and channel the blame to the right direction, which is Buhari, and not the protesting Shiites members who were demanding the release of their leader.

"If Buhari's government could negotiate with Boko Haram, bandits and other dreaded groups, why is it difficult for him to find solution to the Shiite’s agitation?"

Frank called on all Nigerians, including religious leaders and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to boldly speak out now and prevail on the president to release the detained El-Zakzaky and Dasuki.

He warned the government which he accused of attempting to kill El-Zakzaky to release him unconditionally, as he appealed to the international community to mount pressure on him for the release of the Shiite leader.

The former APC spokesman called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to indict the Inspector General (IG), the Chief of Army Staff and President Buhari for consistently killings the protesting group.