A Nigerian human rights group, the Initiative For Conciliation And Right Protection (ICRP) has joined the call for the release of Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky and his wife Malama Zeenah Ibraheem in the wake of the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
The group on Wednesday averred that considering the inadequate resources to manage this deadly virus in this country, ‘’we call on the government to release all prisoners that are on bail, the elderly, those with chronic illnesses and all prisoners of conscience like Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky and his wife Malama Zeenah Ibraheem, taking into cognizance their age and barrage of debilitating health conditions they are already battling.
The ICRP, in a statement issued and signed by its Secretary-General, Dr. Abubakar Yahya , noted that its call has become imperative owing to the directives of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC for social distancing as part of the measures aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19.
According to Dr. Yahaya, ICRP dwells its position on the need to release all prisoners of conscience who are languishing in the country’s correctional centers owing to the ravaging impact of the Coronavirus pandemic.
‘’With many prominent Nigerians have tested positive to the COVID-19 pandemic and also, the absence of any known cure, fears have been heightened that the figures so far released by the Federal Ministry of Health, alongside the NCDC may witness tremendous upward surge especially in the Correctional Centres across the country where the conditions are in a deplorable state.
‘’ This will therefore put the lives of prisoners of conscience in danger of getting infected by the COVID-19 pandemic,’’ it stated.
It recalled that in Kaduna Open Prison, inmates had on Tuesday raised a bedlam following what some described as an attempt at jailbreak by some of the inmates.
This had attracted the presence of personnel of the Nigeria Police and the cordon off of movement in the vicinity.
The Kaduna Police Command however reported that the situation was brought under control by the authorities of the Correctional Services Department.
‘’This, therefore, gives credence to the call from the ICRP for the immediate release of all Prisoners of Conscience in order to protect them from such actions,’’ it urges.
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