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Ahlul Bayt News Agency - On Thursday 24 December 2015 morning hundreds of thousands of Muslims trooped to various streets of Bauchi to celebrate the birthday of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). As usual, the procession began in Kobi football pitch where the participants started ambulating around the town. There was a widespread acceptance of the programme this year as people from every nook and cranny were filled with joyful sense of camaraderie and love for the Holy Prophet.
The entire city was grounded due to the inability of the vehicles to move around. Moreover, dozens of youth groups, Islamic schools had liaised with the Riayala Committee which is set up by the government to ensure a hitch -free programme.
Thanks to gallant efforts of the committee, there was no noticeable problem recorded during the exercise. On the part of the followers of Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky, the mood was different from the previous exercises because apart from the celebrations, their hearts were filled with resentments over the kind of repression being meted out to their fellow members and the continued detention of their spiritual leader Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky.
His house, graveyards, and their famous sanctuary, Hussainiyya Baqiyyatullah were all demolished and desecrated. Soldiers have also killed more than one thousand of his members including three (3) more of his children.
All these atrocities were committed against them despite the fact that they have never carried arms against the state. During the procession, a lot of people had commiserated with the members over the heavy losses of lives. They also strongly spoke out against the continued detention of Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky who is being held by the Nigerian security forces. It could be recalled that since the fateful day of the massacre on 12 December, various human rights groups have denounced the barbaric massacre.
Some of the Sunni sympathisers who took part in the procession had informed us that Zakzaky deserved emotional solidarity because he lost his six children, his house demolished, his followers were massacred in broad daylight before his sanctuary which took years to build was demolished.
" I carry this placard to add my voice over the need to immediately release Sheik Zakzaky because the scholar isn't a criminal" Said one sympathiser who did not want his name published. Some of the scribbled messages are " The truth can't be suppressed with bullets", "Zakzaky must be freed", "FREE ZAKZAKY ".
The photos of his six slain children were also displayed on the procession.