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Presidency justifies continued detention of El-zakzaky

By Terhemba Daka, (Abuja)
20 January 2017   |   5:58 am
The presidency yesterday justified why the leader of Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, is still been detained by the authorities.
The leader of Islamic Movement of Nigeria otherwise known as Shi''te, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky

The leader of Islamic Movement of Nigeria otherwise known as Shi”te, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky

• ‘Wife merely keeping husband company’
The presidency yesterday justified why the leader of Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, is still been detained by the authorities.

Outlining the impediments inhibiting his release, he said the Federal Government is looking into the case with the public and security interest dimensions among others above any other individual claim of right.

A top presidency official who craved anonymity yesterday explained that public interest and national security implications must be considered in line with international practices that conventionally place national security and public interest above any other individual claim of right.

‎His words: “The major constitutional policy objective of government as stated in section 14 (2) (b) is public and not individual security.

“The issue of the release of Zakzaky is not exclusively legal. It has security and public interest as against individual interest undertones.

“The Federal Government is looking into the case and taking security interest dimensions into consideration,” the official said.

Making further clarification on the alleged detention of the religious leader’s wife along side her husband, the source stated that El-Zakzaky’s wife was not of any security interests and therefore was merely keeping her husband company in the apartment in which he is kept.

“She is not under detention. If it is her wish, that of her husband or of the IMN, she will be allowed to go home in a matter of hours,” he said.

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