A group of Iranian Shi’ites have threatened to overthrow the government of President Muhammadu Buhari in order to secure the release of Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, the incarcerated leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN).

According to a video which is circulating across many social media platforms, the protesters with different placards chanted ‘Free, free Zakzaky’. A man who appeared to be the leader of the protesters chided the Nigerian government over El- Zakzaky’s continued detention.

The man was heard saying: “The judge of Nigeria ordered that Zakzaky and his members  be freed but the government didn’t listen to that and so we are calling on them to free Zakzaky.

“The government of Nigeria should know that it cannot keep Zakzaky forever in the detention and in jail. Insha Allah, by overthrowing the tyrannical government, we will free Zakzaky and teach Nigeria and its people a good lesson.”

Zakzaky has been in detention since December 2015 when his followers clashed with some soldiers in Zaria, Kaduna state.

Recently, members of the sect held a series of protests in Abuja, the nation’s capital to demand his release. The protests however turned violent, leading to the death of several members of the group with many others sustaining injuries.