El-Zakzaky has eaten N164.5m worth of food in DSS custody
The Department of State Services (DSS), spent no less than N164.5 million within a four-year span to feed the leader of Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky while in its custody, according to a new report.
Punch reports that since El-Zakzaky has been in DSS custody, the accrued cost of feeding the Shiite leader amounts to N164.5 million.
Reacting to the accrued food cost, human rights lawyer and Zakzaky's counsel, Femi Falana (SAN),
lamented that the cost may continue to rise since he is in prison and
is therefore still being taken care of with taxpayers’ money.
Falana stressed that El-Zakzaky was granted
bail many times, but the court orders were ignored by the federal
government until the Kaduna State government decided to charge the IMN
leader to court.
“El-Zakzaky is now in prison but he is still being taken care of by the federal government with tax payers’ money," Falana was quoted as saying.
Recall that the Islamic cleric was arrested
after soldiers clamped down on his supporters, killing at least 347 of
them. The army accused them of blocking a public road being used by the
Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai.
Following his detention in DSS facility since
December 12, 2015, El-Zakzaky and his wife, Zeenat are facing an
eight-count charge of culpable homicide, unlawful assembly and
disturbance of public peace at the Kaduna High Court.
On why the Shiites leader remains in the DSS custody,
Abubakar Malami (SAN), the Attorney-General of the Federation and
Minister of Justice, explained that the Federal Government does not
interfere with cases that are being prosecuted by a state government.
El-Zakzaky has eaten N164.5m worth of food in DSS custody
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