El-Zakzaky: Why Court Is Allowing Shite Leader To Travel To India

By Augustine Adah and Funmi Olakunle

The decision to grant the leader of Islamic Movement of Nigeria, IMN, Ibraheem El Zakzaky permission to travel to India for treatment was because the Kaduna State High Court was satisfied with the medical report presented to it.

At the resumed hearing of the bail application filed by El Zakzaky’s counsel, Femi Falana in Kaduna Monday the presiding judge, Justice Dairus Khobo granted the defence counsel’s request for the defendants to proceed to India to seek medical attention.

Addressing journalists outside the court perimeter gate, the lead prosecution counsel, who is the state Director of Public Prosecution, Dari Bayero said the judge was satisfied with the medical certificate tendered by El Zakzaky and has granted him permission to travel to India to seek medical attention.

According to Bayero, “The court granted the defendant permission to seek medical attention under the strict supervision of the prosecution (state).

The judge further said that from the medical reports filed by El Zakzaky, he is indeed in dire need of medical attention, and therefore granted him leave to travel out.

In a statement signed by the Chairman, Free Zakzaky Campaign Committee, Abdurrahman Abubakar Yola, the group said the ruling by the court represents “victory for our dogged determination, patience, and perseverance in the face of extreme persecution”.

He further stressed,  “It will be recalled that the applicants are known to be clearly very ill in detention, consequent on the brutal wounds unjustifiably inflicted on them by the state agents in the name of Nigerian army, the resultant prolonged dehumanizing detention in the custody of the Department of State Security (DSS) and the obvious poisoning of the Sheikh.

El Zakzaky and his wife who were not in court have been in detention since 2015 following a bloody clash between members of IMN and the military that left scores of his members dead.

Protests organised by his members calling on President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to release him recently turned bloody with scores of his members as well as senior police officer and a reporter with Channels Television killed.  The federal government later obtained a court ruling which designated the IMN as a terrorist organisation and ban its operations.

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