Dr Sabi’u Adamu, a member of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, also known as Shiites, says the organization has the right to carry out its religious activities without any form of interference from security agencies.

Briefing newsmen in Abuja on Friday, Adamu said the Islamic movement had filed a lawsuit against the Nigerian police for disrupting its activities in Abuja. 

“This is to inform the public that we have filed a N200 million lawsuit against the Inspector General of Police, the Nigeria Police Force, and the Attorney General of the Federation for disruption of our programmes in Abuja.

“The lawsuit was filed on 18 December, 2024, at the Federal High Court, Abuja, with suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1009/V/2024,” he said.

Narrating what led to the lawsuit, Adamu said: “It is pertinent to inform the public that on Saturday, 14 December, 2024, we have made all necessary preparations for the 9th Anniversary of the 2015 Zaria massacre to commemorate the incident at Highpoint Events and Conference Hall, Laralek House, Area 11, Garki, Abuja, and the conference is scheduled to commence by 9:30 am, but since before 7:00 am, the police of the FCT Command and the Secret Police (DSS) barricaded the event centre and started arresting participants of the conference.

“The conference could not take place at the centre, and up to this moment, the police continue to unlawfully detain those arrested around the event centre without any court order.

“Unfortunately, this is not the first time police are disrupting our programmes. A similar incident happened in October at Wuse Zone 5, Abuja. On 13 October, 2024, some youth of the Islamic movement under the leadership of his eminence Sayyid Ibraheem Zakzaky (H) organised the birthday of Sayyid Ahmad Zakzaky at Decency Event Centre, Wuse Zone 5, FCT-Abuja. While the programme was going on, police arrived at the event centre and lock up the gate of the centre, arrest some participants, and disperse the gathering.

“The event was organized at the Decency Event Centre to celebrate a hero, Sayyid Ahmad Ibraheem Zakzaky, who was born on 13 October 1990 and assassinated on 25 July 2014 during the Zaria Quds Day Massacre executed by the Nigerian Army. Sayyid Ahmad is the son of his eminence Sayyid Ibraheem Zakzaky, who was assassinated during the Zaria Quds massacres on 25 July 2014, when the Nigerian Army opened fire on adherents of Sayyid Ibraheem Zakzaky (H) who were taking part in Quds day rallies and killed 35 people, including three sons of Sheikh Zakzaky.”

To challenge actions of the police, he said “we have filed a lawsuit against the Inspector General of Police, the Nigeria Police Force, and the Attorney General of the Federation.

“In the lawsuit we applied for a court declaration that the disruption of the birthday of Sayyid Ahmad Ibraheem Zakzaky organised at Decency Events Centre, Wuse Zone 5, FCT-Abuja on 13 October 2024 and the treatment meted out to us by the police is illegal, unlawful, null, and void and amounts to a gross violation of our rights.”