El-Zakzaky: Buhari Will Answer on Day of Judgement Over Zaria Clash

El-Zakzaky: Buhari Will Answer on Day of Judgement Over Zaria Clash

Ten years after the deadly Zaria clash between soldiers and members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, leader of the group, has stated that former President Muhammadu Buhari will give account on the Day of Judgement for his role in the crisis.

The confrontation, which occurred during Buhari’s tenure, began when IMN members blocked the convoy of former Chief of Army Staff Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai in Zaria, Kaduna State, on the way to a passing-out parade. Soldiers forcefully dispersed the worshippers, escalating the situation into a full-blown crisis that ultimately led to the proscription of the IMN.

Military operations that followed reportedly resulted in the deaths and secret burial of 300 members of the sect, according to Human Rights Watch, while a state-backed judicial commission of inquiry estimated over 1,000 civilian fatalities. El-Zakzaky and his wife, Zeenat, were arrested and detained until 2021, when a Kaduna State High Court discharged and acquitted them of all charges.

Speaking at a press conference to mark a decade since the tragedy, El-Zakzaky criticised both the Buhari administration and successive governments for failing to release the report of the judicial commission or provide compensation to victims’ families.

READ ALSO:

• FEC approves major upgrades to airports’ navigation, communication systems
• NADDC, FRSC Chiefs headline high-stake 2025 NAJA Auto Awards
• Madueke Shines as Arsenal Beat Club Brugge to Maintain 100% Champions League Record

“Nothing has been done. They do not even acknowledge that anything happened…The president at the time said he was following the matter with rapt attention. But he finished his first and second terms, and they said nothing,” he said.

He added that the current government, which had previously promised to address the issue, has maintained “total silence.”

On whether he had forgiven Buhari, El-Zakzaky said: “As for Buhari, it’s simple. He has passed away. We will meet on the Day of Judgement…The equation of Buhari is over.”

The IMN leader also stressed that the massacre failed to silence the movement, noting that the attempt to “destroy an ideology with a gun” instead amplified the group’s cause internationally, citing global demonstrations following his arrest.

El-Zakzaky disclosed that the IMN has initiated legal action at the international level through the Islamic Human Rights Commission, and reaffirmed that the movement would continue its activities despite restrictions on event centres and public gatherings.

“If they don’t want to see us, they will still see us. If they don’t want to hear us, they will still hear us,” he declared, emphasising the resilience of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria.

El-Zakzaky: Buhari Will Answer on Day of Judgement Over Zaria Clash