News / Nigeria

In pictures: Nigerian police fire at top cleric’s supporters

Thursday, 11 July 2019 2:04 PM [ Last Update: Thursday, 11 July 2019 2:34 PM ]

This photo shows Nigerian police using tear gas to disperse peaceful protesters holding demonstrations in capital Abuja to demand release of the country’s top Muslim cleric, Sheikh Zakzaky, from jail.

Nigerian police have once again used live bullets and tear gas canisters to disperse Muslim demonstrators calling for the speedy release of the country’s top cleric, Sheikh Ibrahim al-Zakzaky, whose health condition has been deteriorating.

On Sunday, son of Sheikh Zakzaky warned about the deteriorating health of the 66-year-old cleric, who has been held in detention along with his wife for more than three years.

Mohammad said he was shocked by his father’s worsening medical condition after visiting him, stressing that he needed to be immediately hospitalized as “large and dangerous quantities of lead and cadmium have been found in his blood.”

What follows is a pictorial report of the peaceful protest held by Sheik’s supporters, who seek medical care and speedy release from jail for the cleric, and the violent reaction showed by the Nigerian police.