The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arrested a 16-year-old boy, Bakir Ishak, allegedly for possessing a photo...
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arrested a 16-year-old boy, Bakir Ishak, allegedly for possessing a photograph of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, at the National Mosque in Abuja.
According to a statement issued on Sunday by Sheikh Sidi Munir Mainasara Sokoto on behalf of the Islamic movement led by Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky, the teenager was apprehended around 3:00 p.m. on Friday, March 13, 2026, within the mosque premises.
The arrest reportedly followed the 2026 International Quds Day procession, organised by members of the Islamic movement shortly after Jumu’at prayers. The event, which drew hundreds of participants, focused on condemning Israeli actions against Palestinians and calling for the liberation of Palestine. Organisers said the procession ended peacefully.
The group alleged that Ishak was arrested after the event for holding Khamenei’s photograph and was initially taken to the Wuse Zone 3 Police Station before being transferred to a facility in Guzape. His case was later moved to the police “Scorpion Squad,” a unit typically tasked with handling serious crimes such as kidnapping and armed robbery.
The statement further claimed that the minor was denied access to his lawyer and family for over two weeks following his arrest.
The Islamic movement condemned the arrest and detention, describing it as unlawful, and demanded Ishak’s immediate and unconditional release. It also warned that the authorities would be held accountable for his safety while in custody.
The group linked the incident to a previous case involving Yahuza Haruna, who was arrested during a similar Quds Day procession in 2021 and, according to the statement, remains in detention despite a Federal High Court ruling ordering his release and awarding compensation.
It said its legal team had been directed to initiate a fundamental rights enforcement suit over Ishak’s detention and to commence contempt proceedings against the Inspector General of Police over the alleged non-compliance with the court order in Haruna’s case.
Efforts to obtain a response from the FCT Police Command were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
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