Tension, Uncertainty As El-Zakzaky Returns To Heavy Security

By Ayodele Oluwafemi

Shite leader, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky returned to Nigeria on Friday afternoon after an aborted medical treatment in India again raising tension between his hardened followers and the Nigerian government.

He arrived alongside his wife, Zeenat after a rumpus over the procedure for his treatment in the Indian hospital that he was supposed to receive treatment. He was immediately taken away by operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS.

He arrived on board an Ethiopian Airline flight from India that made a stopover in Addis Ababa. He arrived Abuja shortly after noon.

Ahead of his arrival, security was heavily beefed up at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja with security men deployed to ensure that the violence that had followed his detention saga in recent weeks is aborted.

His return and the controversies that trailed his brief sojourn in India is expected to raise posers for the Muhammadu Buhari administration as it ponders how to check emotions that are bound to follow the continued detention of the Islamic leader.

The Islamic Movement of Nigeria, IMN had alleged that once the Shite leader arrived he was sequestered into another detention that was even more restrictive than what was obtainable in Nigeria.

“We saw that we were practically brought to another detention facility which is even stricter than the one we were in back in Nigeria. They came here with police armed with guns and a lot of staff from the Nigerian embassy. And we also noticed we were brought into another detention that we only came based on trust,” he said.

“Even in Nigeria, they agreed where we were detained that we would be treated only by the doctors we choose and are comfortable with allowing to treat us. But here we understand that the doctors that advised us to come here are blocked from having any say in our case.”

His claim was countered by the Nigerian government which through the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Grace Gekpe apologized to the Indian authorities for what was alleged as the bad behaviour of the Shite leader.

“Against medical ethics and standard practice, he requested to nominate Doctors of his choice to join the ones tasked by Medanta Hospital to perform medical treatment on him and his wife. This created a stalemate, which the Hospital insisted that he would not dictate to it on the choice of medical personnel to carry the required medical treatment,” she said.

“Frustrated by his antics, the Indian authorities have expressed willingness to return him to Nigeria with immediate effect. This is on the account that they will not allow him use their country to internationalize his group’s activities.

“Against this background, the Nigerian government wishes to commend the stand of the Indian Government as well as apologize to her for the unruly behaviour of El-Zakzaky. Similarly, the attention of the public and indeed the international community is hereby drawn to these unfortunate developments.

Ibrahim Musa, spokesman of the proscribed IMN, however, countered alleging sabotage on the part of the Nigerian authroities.

“It is clear to us that the Nigerian government interference and the scuttling of the whole process rather than supervision as ordered by the court are the direct cause of the impasse,” he said.

The return of the Shite leader and the circumstances of his hurried departure from India is bound to raise tension as his hardened followers and the administration ponder their options.

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