El-Zakzaky Mentions Those Allegedly Aiding Bandits, Questions Source of Heavy Weapons
- Leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, has accused Nigerian authorities of being complicit in the rise of insecurity
- He said this at a press conference to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Zaria massacre in 2015, held in Abuja
- The IMN leader said both the Buhari administration and the current government failed to act on the judicial inquiry’s findings.
Legit.ng's Muslim Muhammad Yusuf is a 2025 Wole Soyinka Award-winning journalist with over 8 years of experience in investigative reporting, human rights, politics, governance and accountability in Nigeria.
Abuja, Nigeria – Leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, has accused Nigerian authorities of enabling the country’s worsening insecurity.
Speaking during a press conference ahead of activities marking the anniversary of the 2015 Zaria Massacre, El-Zakzaky questioned how bandits operating in rural areas acquired sophisticated weapons and armoured vehicles without internal support.
Source: Twitter
El-Zakzaky alleged that security agencies are aware of the true source of the weapons, insisting that the crisis is not organic but “deliberately engineered.”
He asked:
“Bush people who have been known to be cattle raiders—how come they have guns? Why do they have these guns? How come those people they call bandits have armoured vehicles, including tankers in the bush? Where did they get the tankers?”
“You have to know that the authorities are behind this insecurity,” he said. “If they want to stop it today, they can stop it.”
The IMN leader accused the government of allowing the violence to escalate, saying, “They are the ones engineering it" by inviting those who are perpetrators, and they make it even more aggressive.
Zakzaky revisits 2015 Zaria massacre
El-Zakzaky also reflected on the 2015 clash between IMN members and the Nigerian Army in Zaria, blaming the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari for failing to act on the judicial commission of inquiry report submitted in 2016.
The incident occurred when IMN members blocked the convoy of the then Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai. What began as a standoff escalated into a military operation targeting several IMN sites, including the leader’s residence.
Source: Twitter
Human Rights Watch estimated that about 300 IMN members were killed and buried in mass graves, while the Kaduna judicial panel put civilian deaths above 1,000. The military disputed both figures.
El-Zakzaky and his wife, Zeenat, were detained until a Kaduna High Court discharged and acquitted them in July 2021.
El-Zakzaky lambasts Buhari on Zaria killings
Legit.ng earlier reported that during the press briefing, he criticised both past and present administrations for ignoring the commission’s findings.
“Nothing has been done. They do not even acknowledge anything happened,” he said.
“The president then said he was following it with rapt attention. He finished his two terms and said nothing.”
He recalled being shot during the 2015 incident, adding, “One of his ministers phoned me. I told him I was waiting for my blood to drain. Tell General Buhari I am greeting him. We will meet on the Day of Judgement.”
El-Zakzaky said the current government had privately promised to revisit the matter but had remained silent.
“They ought to address it. We don’t have to demand it,” he added.
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Protesters who dragged and burned the U.S. flag accused Trump of inciting religious division.
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Source: Legit.ng
