Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El- Rufai has given reasons why the detained leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky cannot be set free.

Speaking in Kaduna on Thursday when he received the management team of The Sun Publishing Limited, El-Rufai said the IMN leader was detained on the orders of a competent court for being a suspect standing trial for multiple murders and other related criminal offences.

El-Rufai maintained that the Shi’ite leader, who was arrested in 2015 after a confrontation between members of his group and the Chief of Army Staff, General Tukur Buratai  was not being held illegally as widely reported.

The governor said the Kaduna State government took time to investigate the Shi’ite leader and discovered that for more than 20 years, the activities of the group had led to several deaths.

On the claim that government was spending about ₦3.5 million monthly to feed El-Zakzaky, El-Rufai said the money was not only being used to feed the Shi’ite leader but includes everything related to his protective custody.

“The ₦3.5 million monthly feeding on El-Zakzaky is not only about his food, but other expenses on security men attached to him. The security men are permanently stationed with him, they surround where he is kept.

“He is in custody because he is facing murder charge ,which is not bailable, among other charges.

“As a government, we decided to proscribe Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) of which El-Zakzaky is the president because it is not registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

“So, any procession in the name of IMN is illegal, as far as Kaduna State government is concerned,” El-Rufai said.