Several people have died in recent months  in demonstrations in the capital Abuja calling for this concession.

The ailing 66-year-old Ibrahim Zakzaky will be accompanied by Nigerian officials tasked with  ensuring  he returns home to face trial on charges of culpable homicide.

His wife Zeenah, who also requires urgent medical treatment, is travelling with him.

Supporters of Zakzaky, who converted from Sunni Islam to form the pro-Iranian Shia Islamic Movement of Nigeria, says he is losing his sight after suffering a number of strokes.

Nigerian authorities have failed to comply with an earlier court ruling that Zakzaky be released.

The post Nigerian court grants Shia leader bail to seek medical treatment in India appeared first on Jean-Jacques Cornish.

The dead include a policeman and a journalist hit by a stray bullet.

The protestors from the Islamic Movement of Nigeria were calling for the release of their leader Ibrahim Zakzaky who has been held since 2015.

They say the medical conditions of Zakzaky and his wife, who is also in detention, are deteriorating.

Their spokesman Abubaker Abdulrahman says the violence began after the police hurled smoke and teargas canisters at them. This was followed by a volley of live rounds.

They say they have yet to ascertain the number of dead. 

Police say they were provoked by demonstrators torching a security building.

The post Clashes with Shia in Abuja leave at least four dead appeared first on Jean-Jacques Cornish.

The judge has adjourned the trial for a month to enable authorities to protect witnesses more effectively.

ends intro

The defence argues that the woman and 31 men on trial could not have been responsible for the attack on the witness because they were in jail.

The accused include a cleric from the Tabliq sect.

The prosecution didn’t give any further details about the alleged attack on the witness.

The spate of killings included the head of Uganda’s Shia community, Sheikh Abdu Kadir Muwaya, who was shot dead Christmas Day 2014 in Kampala.

Three days later Sheikh Mustafa Bahiga, a leader of the Tabliq sect was also shot dead.

The post Uganda witness castrated for agreeing to testify appeared first on Jean-Jacques Cornish.