Nigerian police tear-gas Zakzaky supporters

Police in Nigeria have used teargas to disperse peaceful protesters demanding the release of the country’s top Shia Muslim cleric, Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky.

Violence erupted on Wednesday as hundreds of members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) were peacefully protesting in front of the National Assembly building in the Nigerian capital of Abuja.

Chanting slogans and holding banners that read, “Free Zakzaky,” the protesters demanded the release of their leader.

Police later moved in, firing tear gas canisters at the crowd.

Amnesty International recently called on the Nigerian government to abide by a court ruling that called for an end to the “unlawful” detention of the prominent Muslim clergy. The UK-based rights group said the government in Nigeria could extend Zakzaky’s detention on trumped-up charges in a bid to justify the crackdown on IMN members.

SS