A decade after the deadly 2015 Zaria massacre in which hundreds of members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) were reportedly killed, the group’s leader, Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, has accused past and present Nigerian leaders of ignoring the tragedy and failing to deliver justice.
The clash erupted after IMN members allegedly blocked the convoy of then–Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai, during a passing-out parade in Zaria. What began as a confrontation quickly escalated into a full-scale military operation. Human Rights Watch later reported that about 300 IMN members were killed and buried secretly.
El-Zakzaky and his wife, Zeenat, were arrested in the aftermath and detained until 2021, when a Kaduna High Court discharged and acquitted them.
Speaking at a press conference marking 10 years since the incident, El-Zakzaky condemned the Buhari administration for failing to act on the judicial commission of enquiry report submitted in September 2016.
“Nothing has been done. They don’t even acknowledge that anything happened,” he said.
Regarding forgiveness for Buhari, he added: “He has passed away. We will meet on the Day of Judgement… The equation of Buhari is over.”
He criticised the current administration for maintaining “total silence” despite earlier promises.
El-Zakzaky said the crackdown on the IMN only strengthened its global visibility, noting that attempts to “destroy an ideology with a gun” had instead amplified their message worldwide.
He confirmed that IMN had initiated international legal action through the Islamic Human Rights Commission, insisting that evidence of the massacre would eventually be examined in court.
Despite restrictions on gatherings, he vowed the movement would not be silenced:
“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.”
