ABUJA, Nigeria -                               Mr. Femi Adesina, a spokesperson to President Muhammadu Buhari, has hinted why Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzakky, leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), has remained in detention.

Justice Gabriel Kolawole of a Federal High Court had granted bail to El-Zakzakky, whose group is better recognized as Shi’ite.

However, he has remained in detention resulting in protests by his follower. Speaking on Channels Television, Adesina said the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, could have reasons for El-Zakzaky’s detention.

He said there could be another subsisting case following the order by the Federal High Court or that there could be an immediate filing of appeal.

“So, that is a legal matter which is outside my purview but as a layman, an unlearned man as lawyers would call us, we know that until all cases are dispensed with, you don’t say that it has been concluded,” he said.

According to Adesina, the issue is before a court in Kaduna with the bail hearing already coming up. While calling on the Shi’ite groups to be patient for the outcome of the current hearing, he commended the police for effectively restoring order in Abuja on Monday, July 22.

He said if not for the way the police handled the situation, the casualty figure would have risen beyond the quoted figure.

He expressed sadness over the killing of a deputy commissioner of police saying he did not deserve to die. “If the police had responded in similar fashion, you would have been talking of rivers of blood in Abuja now,” he said.

Although President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday summoned the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Adamu Abubakar Mohammed, to Aso Rock over the latest bloody protest by the members of the IMN.