Human Rights Watch wants Nigeria to stop Shia crackdown

Human Rights Watch wants Nigeria to stop Shia crackdown

Human Rights Watch wants Nigeria to stop Shia crackdown

The lingering faceoff between the Shia movement in Nigeria and the government has attracted the attention of a rights group, Human Rights Watch, calling on the Nigerian government to stop crackdown on the religious sect.

There has been renewed protests by the group in the heart of the Nigerian Capital, Abuja as they demanded the release of their spiritual leader, Sheik Ibrahim Zakzaky who has been in detention since 2015 following clash with the Nigerian army.

Courts have ruled that Zakzaky be released by President Muhammadu Buhari who has a parallel faith with Zakzaky has refused him bail.

 In the last two days, Police have arrested tens of the members of the group with some of them reported shot dead.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called on the Nigerian authorities to stop its violent campaign against a Shia Muslim sect and to investigate what it calls the excessive use of force by the police.

On Monday, 11 protesters from the Islamic Movement in Nigeria were shot dead in the capital, Abuja.

A journalist was also killed by a stray bullet and the police said a senior officer also died.

HRW says some of the injured were denied medical treatment at hospitals.

The Shia sect has been calling for the release of its leader Ibraheem Zakzaky who was arrested in 2015 during a military operation in which more than 300 followers were killed.