Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has urged the Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government to prosecute the Chief of Army, Tukur Buratai, and soldiers involved in the recent attack on the Shiite movement in Kaduna state.

Over 300 Shiite Muslims have been reported dead following the December 12-13 clash between the members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria and the convoy of the Army chief.

Falana, released a statement on Wednesday, where he called on the Army to release the bodies of the dead Shiites, to enable their families bury them.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria also stressed that the leader of the MIN, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, who’s in police custody, should be given access to his ‘personal physicians and lawyers’.

“Assuming that the Shi’ite members actually blocked the road, why was the nuisance not reported to the police? Are the authorities of the Nigerian Army above the law of the land?.”

“The army authorities have refused to release the bodies of those who were massacred to their families for burial while the personal physicians of the injured ones and their family members have been denied access to them.”

The leader of the group, Sheik Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, and his wife who were also shot by the blood thirsty goons were taken away and dumped in a military custody. Up till now, their whereabouts are unknown.

“Although Sheik El-Zakzaky is reported to have been transferred from a military custody to a police station, he has been denied access to his personal physicians and lawyers.”

“Thus, in Chief Gani Fawehinmi v. General Sani Abacha (1996) 5 NWLR (PT 447) 198 at 202, the Court of Appeal ordered the Attorney-General of Federation, Inspector-General of Police and the operatives of the State Security Services to allow the wife and personal physicians of the appellant, a political detainee, to have access to him in prison custody ‘at all reasonable times.’

“In requesting the Inspector-General of Police to allow access to the detainees his attention ought to be drawn to Section 14(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act which provides as follows:

“A person who has the custody of an arrested suspect shall give the suspect reasonable facilities for obtaining legal advice, access to communication for taking steps to furnish bail, and otherwise making arrangements for his defence or release.’”

“Having undertaken to end impunity in the country, President Buhari should ensure that the Chief of Army Staff and all the soldiers who took part in the violent attack and arson in Zaria are brought to book without any further delay.”