It is almost four decades since Sheikh Zakzaky started his call to social justice in Nigeria and across Africa. His movement has now grown into over 20 million followers in Nigeria and other neighbouring countries.  During this period, he, his family and many thousands of his supporters have faced imprisonment.  Many (including six of the Sheikh’s sons) have been killed by various Nigerian regimes, who have often met the movement’s peaceful protest with violence.

In July 2014, the Nigerian army opened fire on a peaceful pro-Palestinian procession in Zaria, where they killed 34 followers of the Sheikh, including his 3 biological children, Ahmad, Hameed and Mahmud.

In December 2015, Buhari’s civilian administration attacked the Sheikh in his residence after killing 3 more of his children (Hammad, Haidar and Humaid) and over a thousand of his followers. He and his wife were shot and severely injured.  They were whisked into illegal detention for more than four years. Hundreds of his followers have been killed in various protests calling for his release.

Sheikh Zakzaky has been jailed in various prisons across the country since the 1980s. During the military dictatorship of Olusegun Obasanjo, he was detained behind cells for weeks in Zaria. Shehu Shagari detained the Sheikh in Enugu prison. Buhari previously detained the Sheikh in Kirikiri prison in Lagos during his military dictatorship. Babangida in Port Harcourt prison, Abacha in Port Harcourt and Kaduna prisons from 1996 – 98.

IHRC has run campaigns for justice for Sheikh and the Islamic Movement since its inception.  Justice for all peoples in Nigeria can only come about with a wholesale transformation of the state, which is currently crippled by political corruption.  Please join the struggle for justice in Nigeria using the resources in this section.