Kaduna State High Court on Tuesday delivered a favourable judgement in the “no case submission” filed by the defense lawyers on the case brought against nearly 100 members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria.

The Shiite members were arrested at various locations in Zaria following a clampdown on the Movement in December 2015.

A statement on Tuesday, signed by the President Media Forum of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Ibrahim Musa said: “they have been discharged and acquitted.”

“This judgement has not only vindicated the members of the Islamic movement in Nigeria, but it is certainly a victory for perseverance in the face of extreme persecution. It is a victory for truth and justice against tyranny and impunity,” said the statement.

But, Dari Bayaro, Director Public Prosecution, Kaduna State Ministry of Justice, when contacted, said the state will appeal the judgement.

“Yes, it’s true that the High Court has discharged and acquitted about 100 of the IMN members, but we shall file an appeal against the judgement,” Mr. Bayaro said.

He added that a statement would soon be issued detailing the state government ground of appeal.

Kaduna State Government has sued about 200 members of the Islamic Movement after an attack on the Movement by the Nigerian Army in December 2015, scores were killed including three sons of the Sheikh Zakzaky, his elder sister and a nephew.

IMN in their statement said: “The attack was sequel to the unlawful invasion of the privacy of their residence and eventual destruction of the house completely.

“This has been aptly described by several human rights bodies as a massacre.

“To worsen these flagrant crimes against humanity, bodies of all the hundreds killed were hurriedly and secretly buried in mass graves about 100km away from the scene, apparently in a shoddy attempt at hiding the crime and its magnitude.”

IMN reiterated its call for the release of its Leader Sheikh Zakzaky, saying: “We are all aware of the crude tactics of the Kaduna state government led by El-Rufai all in his devilish plots at perpetuating the persecution against the Islamic Movement and the continued detention incommunicado of Sheikh Zakzaky and his ailing wife in spite of previous court judgement ordering their immediate release from detention, thereby further flaunting his fundamental rights and rights to liberty. With this victory in the court today, the false charges filed against them for aiding and abetting the culpable homicide has been punctured for good. We await the response of the Kaduna state government as Sheikh Zakzaky’s case comes up in the next two days. We expect them to respect the judgement of this honourable court and the course of justice to withdraw the fake charges against him and release him with immediate effect.

“As a peaceful Movement, we have kept to our clean tradition of seeking redress through peaceful means without any resort to violence despite deliberate and persistent provocations by the government.

“Today (Tuesday), the Kaduna State Government has again failed in court after a fair trial. We, therefore, give praises to the Almighty for yet another successful outing, which further proves to the world that the Movement and its leader are only victims of impunity and mischievous plots by the El-Rufai-led government.”

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