According to Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), at least 12 corpses of their killed members, 63 others including injured members who were arrested during the recent series of protests are still in the police custody without taking them to court according to the law.
The group demanded for release of all the corpses and their members being detained, both the injured and the healthy, by the Police.
A statement issued by a top member of the IMN, Abdullahi Musa said:
“We wish to inform the public about the continuous incarceration of the victims of Monday, 22nd July, 2019 police brutality. The victims had been severely injured before their being whisked away, and they are still languishing in police cruel custody.
Again, police are yet to release twelve (12) corpses to their bereaved families for funeral prayers according to Islamic injunction, nine (9) of which were killed forthwith at the Federal Secretariat, Abuja and three (3) died under their detention. The families of those that were killed have made several attempts to collect the corpses, but the Police rejected their request. Now, over two weeks in the wake of the incident, the corpses are yet with the Police.
“Likewise, the Police continue to detain 63 protesters without taking them to Court. Out of the 63, 11 people sustained various degrees of serious injuries that required urgent medical attention. Despite their critical condition, the Police have only taken the injured ones to unknown location without given them the required medical attention. Even the families of the injured have made several attempts to provide medical treatment to them, but the Police turned down their request.
“Moreover, some of the injured, who returned to their families, were taken to the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital by their respective families for effective treatment, but police attacked the hospital and took them away violently while receiving treatment, and they are still in their detention without medical treatment.
“It is pertinent to remind the Police that detaining free-zakzaky protesters, including female and minors, for more than two weeks with life-threatening injuries and denying them any medical treatment is a sinister disrespect for the laws of the land and United Nation Human Rights Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment.
“It is quite inhuman for the Nigeria Police to arrest hospitalized patients and detain them without treatment. Obviously, the rights of the protesters have been violated and the lives of those that are still alive under police detention are in extreme danger.
“We therefore demand for immediate release of all the corpses and our brothers and sisters being detained, both the injured and the healthy, by the Police.”
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