El-Zakzaky’s daughter speaks about tragedy in Zaria

– Suhaila El-Zakzaky, one of the daughters of detained Sheik Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, spoke about the tragedy in Zaria

– “They (army) killed as many people as they could find and burnt others alive”

– Suhaila said that she saw how the soldiers were shooting at her father, mother and three brothers

– The team of lawyers representing the Islamic Movement in Nigeria has withdrawn their appearance before the Commission of Inquiry

Suhaila El-Zakzaky, one of the daughters of detained leader of Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Sheik Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, has spoken about her parents and other victims of the bloody clash that happened between the army and Shi’ites in December 2015.

Vanguard reports that 23-year-old Suhaila spoke about the tragedy in Zaria while briefing journalists on Tuesday, March 22, in Kaduna.

Recalling the fateful day, Suhaila said that soldiers of the Nigerian army killed as many people as they could find and burnt others alive.

“Around 10p.m. on that day, we heard gunshots from afar. It turned out that the military were shooting at people and advancing towards the house. We spent the whole night with the shooting going on. We were told that people were being killed.

“When people were saying the early morning prayers, the army got the opportunity to knock down the fence, entered the house and started shooting. They killed as many people as they could find and burnt others alive.

“We were in a part of the house that was not burnt down, but I assumed they thought everyone was burnt or dead. So they really did not search. We spent the day with shooting going on from afar. There was fire all over the place.

“Then we spent the next night likewise. In the morning they (army) came back. When they got to where myself, my father, my brothers and other members of the family were, they took shooting position and started shooting at us randomly for some seconds.”

Continuing her horrible narration, Suhalila said that she saw how the soldiers were shooting at her father, mother and three brothers.

“They eventually took us away. Myself, my sisters and those that were with us were beaten thoroughly and taken to the army depot in Zaria by trucks. Since then I have not had any contact with my parents or anyone taken away. We were kept at the depot for four days,” she added.

Festus Okoye

Meanwhile, Femi Falani, Festus Okoye, Maxwell Kyon and other lawyers have formally withdrawn their appearance before the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the clash between the army and Shi’ites.

Speaking on behalf of the legal team, Festus Okoye explained that it was completely unethical for them to continue to represent a client whose well-being or state of health was unknown since December 2015.

“We have been patient enough since the beginning of the commission’s sitting as regards to the matter. All efforts to have access to the El-Zakzaky have been in vain and we have no option than to withdraw from the commission. The legal team of the IMN will not be used and will not allow itself to be used to legitimise a pre-determined position and agenda against the leader of IMN,” he said.

Members of IMN, who have recently marked the 100th day since Zaria clash, took the Nigerian army to the International Criminal Court in The Hague over alleged genocide and war crimes.

In its submission to the ICC, the group revealed that photographic evidence has been obtained along with testimonies of mass graves where the army is reported to have buried fatalities from the killing spree.