Shi’ites protest as authorities foil Kaduna jailbreak

Security officials on Tuesday foiled an attempted jailbreak at the Kaduna Correctional Centre.

Following the development, the Islamic Movement in Nigeria warned that no harm should befall its leader, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, and his wife, Zeenat. The couple are said to be detained in the facility.

It was learnt  that there  was an unrest  at the centre  when  the  inmates of the facility, located along the Independence Way in the metropolis,  were told that there was a possibility of the  dreaded coronavirus spreading to the centre.

It was learnt that the  prisoners were  gripped with fear  that they could  be infected by the killer virus as a result of overcrowding in the cells.

The situation forced   the police to cordon off the road leading to the centre.

A  source living close to the centre said he heard gunshots fired inside the prison.

The source said,   “We learnt that the inmates were protesting. There awas n actually unrest there.

“We later learnt that they were protesting that they could  contract   coronavirus.”

It was further learnt  that the  inmates allegedly  attacked the warders, insisting that they be released to avoid  contracting coronavirus.

The Public Relations Officer of the Kaduna Correctional Centre, Mr Nathaniel Gagas, confirmed the incident.

He said, “There is calm in the prison. Security has been beefed up in and outside the facility. There is no cause for alarm.”

Our correspondent also learnt  that  soldiers,  police and  Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps officials  had been deployed at the centre.

In a statement, the President, Media Forum for the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Ibrahim Musa,   though El-Zakzaky was being detained unlawfully in the facility, nothing harmful must touch him and the wife.

The couple  have been detained at the centre since December 2015 following a clash between the Nigerian Army and the group, popularly known as Shittes,  in Zaria, Kaduna State.

According to Musa, they  will hold the Federal Government responsible should any harm befall El-Zakzaky and the wife.

The statement read in part,  “Credible reports emanating from the Kaduna Correctional Centre  where the government is wrongly detaining Sheikh El-Zakzaky and his wife have  reached the Islamic Movement in Nigeria of a turmoil leading to the opening of fire and blocking of all access roads to the centre.

“We are rightly concerned about these developments and we strongly call on  the relevant authorities to ensure that the security and  safety of the Sheikh and his wife are guaranteed.

“We therefore strongly demand for the immediate release of the Sheikh and his wife.”