Children of the Shi’ite Islamic Movement in Nigeria whose parents were allegedly killed by the Nigerian Army in December 2015 have expressed displeasure with the Nigerian Government for denying them “the right to parental love and care as they grow.”

There sadness was expressed in a statement signed by a pupil, Mujahid Ibrahim, of the Fudiyya Islamic Schools Foundation Kaduna and circulated during a peaceful protest march on Monday, calling for the unconditional release of Shi’ite Leader, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky.

Earlier in the day, the judicial commission of inquiry, for the fifth time, adjourned its sittings to next week Monday, March 21, 2016, vowing to go ahead with proceedings even if Zakzaky is not granted access to his lawyers.

The pupils, who came from various schools across Kaduna, staged the peaceful protest from the gates of Kaduna Polytechnic to the centre of Tudun Wada in Kaduna metropolis.

The children accused the Muhamadu Buhari administration of impunity for the killing of their parents. “We wonder what moral lessons the government in imparting on the coming generation with these kinds of acts of impunity that could only be described as state terrorism,” they said.

The statement added that not less than 60 children have been born by mothers whose husbands were killed in the incident. Part of it reads: “Over sixty children have so far been born, including a set of twins, since the unfortunate massacre whose parents have all been killed by the Nigerian Army for no justifiable reason.

“It behooves on us to ask what these innocent children have done to be denied seeing their parents in life. Definitely this is a big crime against humanity that remains unforgivable.”

The statement called for the release of Sheikh Zakzaky and all other Shi’ites in detention. “We condemn the government and Nigerian Army brutality and their arrogant display of inhumanity against us and call for the release of all our members. Most importantly we demand the immediate and unconditional release of our leader Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky,” the children said.

News Express recalls that in December last year the motorcade of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen Tukur Buratai, was allegedly blocked by some Shi’ites as it attempted to pass through their Zaria stronghold in Kaduna State, which led to the killings and detention of many members of the Movement including the leader Sheikh Zakzaky and his wife.

Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has since inaugurated a Judicial Commission of Inquiry to investigate the remote causes of the incident. Members of the Movement have are adamant that they would boycott the Commission if their leader is not released.

•Photo shows female Nigerian Shi'ites during a recent protest march.

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