My LIFE, HEALTH in Danger, EYES going Blind’ -Sheikh Ibrahim El Zakzaky, Shi’a Muslim Leader/Founder, Islamic Movement of Nigeria confessed before return to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Nigeria (video attached)
…BUHARI Administration, Indian Govt conspired to POISON me, My Wife (Malama Zeenah) had full bullet lodged in her body
* ‘Sheikh El Zakzaky is a pathological liar. He had ulterior motives in India. Let him face his on-going court trial’-Nigeria Presidency
* ‘Why was Sheikh El Zakzaky demanding for a-5 star hotel when not on tourist’s visa to India to foment trouble? Why did he ask for his Nigerian international passport so he could run away?’ -Nigeria’s State Security Service
* ‘There is no truth in the claims as alleged by the Sheikh. He refused the trained medical doctors we assigned to him in India. Medical treatment request was received from both the patient (the Sheikh) and the government of Nigeria-India Government respond
* London-based Islamic Human Rights Commission chastise Nigerian security services in perpetuating the illegal detention, pressures Indian govt to re-treat Zakzaky
* PLUS why Nigeria’s Secret Police whisked him to unknown destination, Investigation his relationship with #RevolutionNow Movement to destabilize Nigeria
BY NURENI AHMED/SPECIAL COORESPONDENT, ABUJA & RAHMATU IBRAHIM, CORRESPONDENT, INDIA
THERE SEEMS TO BE NO END IN SIGHT FOR THE VISSICCITUDES OF PROBLEMS FACING SHEIKH IBRAHIM EL ZAKZAKY, FOUNDER OF NIGERIA’S ISLAMIC MOVEMENT, SHI’A body already designated a terrorist group in Nigeria as a he is screaming that his life and health are presently in danger, even as his eyes are going blind as a result of the presence of “shrapnel, very small fragments in my eyes, in my hands and some in my right thigh that were slowly releasing toxins into my system which caused a lot of complications, which we later discovered that they were the caused of the mini strokes I have had, both the first and the second time,” confessed the Shiite leader in India before he finally returned to Nigeria.
In this speech prepared and read in Hausa language by El Zakzaky at Medanta Hospital in India, the head of Nigeria’s Islamic Movement, he firstly sent greetings to everyone watching him when he said Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem! Wasallahu Ala Sayyedina Wa Nabiyyena Muhammadin Wa Aalihid dayyebinad Daheereenal Ma’asumeen!
Without any waste of time this embattled Muslim cleric dug into the main issues affecting him and his wife -Malama Zeenah, “We are now here in New Delhi, India. As you all know there was an arrangement for us to come here to seek medical care regarding the ailments that we have, myself and Malama Zeenah. She, Malama Zeenah has a full bullet lodged in her body(that needs to be removed), also she is in need of a knee replacement surgery in addition to other problems. As for me, there are shrapnel, very small fragments in my eyes, in my hands and some in my right thigh that were slowly releasing toxins into my system which caused a lot of complications, which we later discovered that they were the caused of the mini strokes I have had, both the first and the second time. So we were thinking the first thing to be done is to remove the shrapnel, which is a procedure that couldn’t be done at home and the doctors suggested that we should go abroad where it will be possible for the procedure to be done.”
He revealed the dangerous health situation he is facing, when he stated “the second thing would be to clean my body of the toxins, which I was told are deposited in the bones and some in the flesh and this normally takes time to be done. I also have a problem with my eye which the doctors that attended to us since after I had a second operation and my sight weakened, suggested that I should be taken to better facilities to have it tended to.
After all this we were all happy that we are in Delhi and we would be going to a suitable hospital to receive appropriate treatment. In addition the doctors that came to visit us when we were in Nigeria advised us to come to this hospital called Medanta. That is why we requested to be brought to this hospital.”
The conspiracies:
Zakzaky alleged in his statement that United States government through the American Embassy in India has a lot to do initially with his denial of medical treatment in company of his wife. But our correspondent on ground for NAIJA STANDARD Newspaper investigated this claim and found it to be a lie. And this quickly made the Shiite leader to recount his earlier statement and made a double-face by saying: “Before we left Nigeria we heard the news that the American embassy here in India was pressuring the hospital not to admit us when we arrive. And that the hospital had agreed to refuse admitting us. So we were considering going somewhere else when we arrive. But we were later informed that the problem had been sorted out and we would be admitted to the hospital. So we set out from Nigeria.”
Narrating his ordeal in India, the Shi’a leader claimed on arrival in India, Medanta Hospital staff evaded the crowd waiting to see him and his wife and detour into another route out of the airport.
His words: “As soon as we arrived here we were met with some hospital staff at the airport that escorted us to the hospital. Since when we were in the ambulance they informed that there were a lot of people at the airport waiting to see us even if just when we are boarding the ambulance. But they have evaded them and distracted them by placing two ambulances at that exit claiming we will be boarding those but they decided to bring a different ambulance and leave through a different route so the people at the airport didn’t even get a glimpse.
“And they also said that there was a lot of people at the hospital entrance to see us arrive. But they informed us that if we arrive we will be taken in through a back entrance. They said they did this due to the high number of people, they were concerned that in people’s attempt to reach us in the crowd some harm can be done to us, that’s what they said.
“After we arrived we realized that in this hospital, or better yet someone working in the Nigerian embassy here told us that before we came, they had carried out a meeting with the hospital staff, the workers from the Nigerian embassy and some security operatives on how to go about things once we are here.
“So 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.
Rejecting how the doctors he had earlier arranged for his treatment in India were denied access to him, Zakzaky sadly quipped: “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 the doctors that advised us to come here are blocked from having any say in our case. They even told us when we spoke to them, they are only allowed to advise but the hospital reserves the right to decide the course of our treatment. So I told them that, we came here based on the trust we have in our doctors, we cannot just see any doctor that we don’t know, or trust to treat us. And without recommendation from those we do trust, we cannot allow a stranger to treat us, lest not what couldn’t be done with bullets be carried out in a different way. Due to this, we think that based on everything we have seen so far indicates to us that we are not safe here. We were just brought to another detention.
“I have been detained now for a collective total of about 13 years but I have never seen a detention like the one I am in now. Even at the doors they have placed armed police. Even between one room to the next we are not allowed to move. Then I see that even where we were, and of all the times I have been imprisoned in Nigeria, I have not seen anything like this. When I was in an actual prison They used to lock us up around 9pm and open the doors at 7am, and we could move about where ever we wish within the prison facility we were detained in.
“I see here that even when I was in Kirikiri prison it wasn’t as constricting as in this situation. So I feel that it is not reasonable to leave detention in order to seek medical help and we be placed in a different detention and on top of that we be handed over to be treated by people we do not trust. So based on this we are thinking that Insha Allah by all apparent indications that there is a need for us to return home since we were allowed to travel abroad for medical care and India doesn’t appear to be a safe place for us. We would have to return home, afterall there are other countries that offered to receive us if we could go there. These countries include Malaysia, Indonesia and Turkey, we can convene to decide which one to go to and then go there insha Allahul adheem.”
Wasallalahu
Ala Muhammadin wa Alihid dqyyebeenad Daheereen.
Wassalamu alaikum
Warahmatullah
Nigerian Presidency reacts:
Reacting to serious allegations made by the Shi’a leader, Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari faulted this claim in a counter-statement issued by Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media and Publicity) he queried why the Muslim cleric was crying wolf, “We are appealing to El-Zakzaky-led Shiite members to desist from needless violent street protests and await the decision of the court where their leader is currently being tried. The issue of El-ZakZaky is before the court in Kaduna and his supporters should focus on his on-going trial instead of causing daily damages, disruptions and public nuisance in Abuja.
“It is wrong to be in court and resort to violence at the same time in order to get justice for anybody accused. The destruction of public property in the name of protest is not within the right of this group of Shiite members and no government anywhere would have tolerated a situation where any group would take over public roads in cities as they have done in Abuja and interfere with the rights of other citizens who are prevented from reaching their destinations.
“We imagine a situation where families are taking their loved ones to hospital for emergency treatment and they are held up needlessly by the protesters. No government anywhere in the world would turn a blind eye to this unlawful behavior. As far as this country’s Ministry of Justice is concerned, the case involving El-Zakzaky is no longer in its domain. The Federal Government no more has hands in the matter and to that extent, the government at the centre can be said to be clear of any alleged violations of court orders as being trumpeted everyday.
“These rallies and street dances ostensibly to openly insult the President and other leaders, threatening bloodshed will lead nowhere because President Buhari will not ask the country’s judiciary to abandon due process and set a suspect free. At the same time, the administration is determined to enforce the decision of the court clearly issued. The Buhari administration has absolutely no hand in the on-going court case and the courts are free to determine the bail request and the final outcome.
“The mentality that you are above the law and that your own rights are superior to other people’s rights is unacceptable. You can’t be provoking other citizens by interfering with their own rights on public roads and disrupting their businesses and call it democratic freedom. In democratic traditions, their rights end where the rights of others begin.
“Law abiding citizens must avoid deliberate lawlessness. It is not within the rights of any group to enter protected public institutions such as the National Assembly by force to attack police and destroy public and private property. It is always advisable to embrace dialogue and eschew violence in all our actions so that we can continue to live together in peace. We therefore appeal to the Shiite group to stop deliberate provocations that result in violence and fatalities and allow the trial of El-ZakZaky to take its course.”
A source in Aso Rock confided in NAIJA STANDARD Newspaper that the Presidency was livid in anger when it listened to the propaganda and tissue of lies made against the Federal Government by the Shiite leader. “Zakzaky is a pathological liar. He had ulterior motives in India. Why did he not allow the doctors assigned to him by Medanta Hospital to treat him? Let him face his on-going court trial,”added the reliable source who would not want his name in the press since he was not authorized to speak to the media.
Indian Govt react:
Meanwhile, the Indian Government has vehemently denied the allegation made India are far from the truth. In his reaction, the India High Commission in Abuja said there was “no condition” attached to the pair’s medical request or “ultimatum by India” for them to leave the country. The commission was responding to inquiries from some Nigerians via its Twitter handle – @India_nigeria. “Please be assured that medical treatment at reputed Indian hospitals is provided to consenting patients, as per medical norms. Protocol and safety steps are taken as necessary. There is no condition or ultimatum by India.”
It also denied reports that Indian police and security services are collaborating with Nigerian security services to confine the Shiites leader and his wife, he argued: “Such reports are not true. India has always been responsive to humanitarian requests. Medical treatment request was received from both the patient and the government of Nigeria, and we readily agreed. No other connotation should be attached to the matter.”
NGO demands respect for Zakzaky’s rights
In a related development on Wednesday, the Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC), a London-based NGO, urged human rights campaigners to write to their respective countries’ envoys in India about Zakzaky’s situation.
In a sample letter released on its website, the IHRC urged activists to demand that the Indian authorities cease their harassment of Sheikh Zakzaky and his wife.
“I am writing to ask you to make immediate representations to the Indian government to respect the rights and freedoms of the Sheikh and his wife and allow their medical treatment unmolested and without restrictions. It appears from reports that the Indian police and security services are collaborating with the Nigerian security services in perpetuating the illegal detention of the pair,” the letter reads.
It said Nigerian and Indian security services have prevented the couple from leaving the hospital, blocked their access to the medical team, and withheld their legal documents.
Same vein, the Nigeria’s Secret Police whisked him to unknown destination, while conducting various intelligence investigation regarding the Shiite Movement core relationship with #RevolutionNow Movement purposely to destabilize Nigeria. Nigeria’s Security Service raise few pointers: “Why was Sheikh El Zakzaky demanding for a-5 star hotel when not on tourist’s visa to India to foment trouble? Why did he ask for his Nigerian international passport so he could run away?’
