Iran warns Nigeria to release Shiite leader El-Zakzaky

The Iranian government says it has employed all her diplomatic channels including warning the Nigerian government to release the leader of the Shia Muslim group in Nigeria Sheikh Ibrahim al-Zakzaky. He was arrested alongside other members of his group following a clash with the Nigerian army in Zaria, Kaduna state on Saturday December 12th. Over 60 people died in the fracas.

"We have used all those channels to warn them [Nigeria] regarding this issue. So hopefully the government... would adopt wise action given the sensitive situation," Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hoseyn Jaberi-Ansari told reporters in the capital, Tehran today January 4th.