Shiite leader, El-Zakzaky charged with murder

Posted on

Leader of Nigeria’s Shiite group, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, detained since 2015, has been charged with murder in a twist to the growing street protests demanding his release from prolonged detention.

Court papers obtained by Premium Times show that he has been charged by the Kaduna State government on an eight-count offences which include homicide punishable by death.

He was charged along with his wife who has also been in detention since 2015.

El-Zakzaky is said to have “abetted the commission of the offence of culpable homicide punishable” by members of the IMN who allegedly shot to death a soldier in the convoy of the Chief of Army Staff.

The alleged murder concerns Corporal Yakuku Dana Dunaway, who was said to be in the convoy of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, during the December 2015 bloody clash between Shi’ites and the soldiers in the convoy in Zaria, Kaduna State.

The charges were filed on April 18.

According to the charge, the alleged offences took place during the December 2015 clash between the IMN and a convoy of Nigeria’s army chief, Tukur Buratai.