From: Noah Ebije, Kaduna.
Three years after a clash with the Army in Zaria, Kaduna State, members of Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), otherwise called Shi’ites, say that wife of their leader, Malama Zeenah Zakzaky, is still living with bullets allegedly fired into her body by the Army.
Hundreds of the Shi’ites on street procession had clashed with the convoy of Chief of Army Staff, General Tukur Buratai in December 2015 in Zaria and fire was allegedly exchanged, leading to the death of many persons.
Addressing the media, on Wednesday, Chairman, IMN Forum, Prof. Abdullahi Danladi said Zeenah’s condition has deteriorated as a result of un-extracted bullets in her body.
Danladi also said that the health condition of their leader, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky was equally in bad condition, almost causing him to go blind because his eyes are affected.
Zakzaky and his wife have been in DSS detention since December 2015 following the clash.
However, IMN Forum chairman said Shi’ites would continue to embark on peaceful protest until El-Zakzaky and his wife are released from detention by security agency to enable them seek medical attention.
He said, “As we focus our attention on the deteriorating health of Sheikh Zakzaky we are not oblivious of the medical condition of his wife, Malama Zeenah Ibraheem.
“For reasons best known to the State Security Service, some of the bullets lodged in her body during the brutal attack of December 14, 2015, have not been extracted up till now. In the circumstances, she has been subjected to excruciating pain and agony, on a daily basis.
“Her life which is currently in danger may be saved and prolonged if she is allowed to receive adequate medical attention without any further delay. We therefore, urged Mr. Buhari to release the couple and allow them to seek proper medical attention.
“To this end, we have started a series of peaceful protests across the country, to demand an immediate and unconditional release of our leader to enable him get the proper medical attention he desires.
“Since the start of these peaceful protests last Sunday 07/01/18, armed policemen have in a number of places heavily descended on the peaceful protesters killing two in Kaduna, injuring several others and arresting hundreds in both Abuja and Kaduna.
“We are strongly appealing to people of conscience, human rights organisations, activists and the international community to prevail upon this administration to tread the path of justice and pave way for our Leader to go and look after his health properly.
“Following a rare visit to our Leader Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, it was discovered that the health situation of the Sheikh has taken a nosedive for the worse.
“He had suffered what turned out to be a stroke but the authorities illegally detaining him had kept a blind eye to his dire situation.
“It emerged that his health condition suffered severe knocks in the past week, such that he was critically ill and was in urgent need of the best medical attention possible but Buhari administration is negligent about it.
“He suffered slurred speech, weakness of the right side of the upper limb and general weakness of both lower limbs and consequently has been unable to walk or even stand for the past one week. The Sheikh is also known to be hypertensive for more than 10 years.
“The 67-year-old was severally shot at close range during the murderous attack on his home by the military in December, 2015. In the process, the Sheikh lost his left eye and is on the verge of losing the right eye sequel to the brutal treatment meted out to him by the armed soldiers and the State Security Service has denied him foreign medical treatment recommended by the local specialist who had attended to him.
“Even the alternative arrangement put in place by the family of the Sheik to bring eye specialists from either within or abroad to treat him in custody has equally been rejected without any legal justification.
“To say that we are agitated by the latest development is to say the least. We are deeply concerned and disenchanted by the attitude of this administration towards our peaceful protests and demands that the Sheikh and his wife be released as ordered by a federal High court in Abuja.
“The Court has affirmed the Sheikh’s fundamental right to personal liberty guaranteed by Section 35 of the Constitution and Article 6 of the African Charter on Human and People Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act (CAP A10) Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004”.