Members of Mu’assatu Abul Fadl Abbas wing of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria under the leadership of Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky have accused Nigerian soldiers of abducting more than 50 girls and women during the Zaria, Kaduna State clash between soldiers and members of the IMN.
Many of the victims, according to Batula Muazu, the spokeswoman of the Bring Back Our Zaria Girls, are students, married women and civil servants.
Muzak levelled the allegation on Tuesday.
At a protest staged in front of the National Human Rights Commission headquarters in Abuja, Muazu, who spoke on behalf of the activists, said it is nearly 10 months since the Nigerian Army attacked Hussainiyya Baqiyyatullah and laid siege to the residential area of Sheikh Zakzaky, detaining their leader.
He said this is unjustifiable and contrary to the universal charter for human rights, which banned keeping a person incommunicado without charge.
In a petition submitted to the NHRC, the campaign group called for the immediate release of the Zaria girls; Sheikh Zakzaky; his wife, Malama Zeenatudden; and hundreds of his followers.
They also called for the prosecution of Army officers who were found guilty in the Zaria massacre.
The activists vowed not to stop campaigning for justice until their members are released and the Army officers involved in the massacre are brought to book.
The petition was handed over to a staff of the commission, Ochi Oborawa, who stated that every citizen has right to life and no reason will be given to justify the killing of people in Zaria.
Oborowa reaffirmed that his commission will look into the reports of human right violations in the massacre, including that the of the Zaria violence.