The Islamic Movement in Nigeria,
IMN, has reacted to the Kaduna High Court ruling on Monday, granting its
leader, Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky and his wife, Zeenat, leave to travel abroad for
medical treatment.
Recall that
the court presided by Justice Darius Khobo gave the ruling and directed
officials of the State Government to accompany El-zakzaky during the medical
trip.
Reacting in a statement signed by
Abdurrahman Abubakar, the Yola Chairman, of Free Zakzaky Campaign Committee,
the IMN said the ruling was not only a vindication that leaving all doors open
to obtain favourable outcomes works, but a victory for their dogged
determination, patience and perseverance in the face of extreme persecution.
The statement read, “Today,
Monday 05/08/19 we obtained a favourable judgement in the ruling on application
specifically seeking for the court’s permission to allow Sheikh Ibraheem
Zakzaky and his wife, Malama Zeenat Ibrahim to seek urgent medical treatment
outside this country.
“This ruling is not only a
vindication that leaving all doors open to obtain favourable outcomes works,
but it is a victory for our dogged determination, patience and perseverance in
the face of extreme persecution. It is a victory for truth and justice against
tyranny and impunity.
“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. As a result of all these physical and psychological stresses, the
Sheikh suffered series of mild strokes and is at the risk of further
recurrences.
“Meanwhile, he lost one eye
following the military attack and is at a severe risk of losing sight
completely in the other. He is now found to have more than twenty times the
toxic levels of lead poison in his body! Similarly, the wife has been under
excruciating pains with shrapnel deeply lodged in her body for all these years
of inhuman conditions in detention. She now is able to ambulate only with the
use of a wheelchair.
“Both were not even able to make
it to the court in the last two sittings. They have been battling ailments that
could not be treated in Nigeria, as posited by the foreign medical experts that
earlier in the year assessed their health condition. Undoubtedly, both risk
losing their lives had this favourable ruling been denied or further delayed.
“We are all aware of the blurred
human rights records of the Nigerian government which hardly respects court
orders in contravention of the constitutional provisions. Previously, Sheikh
Zakzaky and his wife were still kept in detention incommunicado in spite of
previous court judgement ordering their immediate release from detention,
thereby further flaunting their fundamental rights and further jeopardizing
their deteriorating health.
“With this recent ruling by the
court today, we will finalize urgent plans to transfer them to a more
appropriate foreign health facility for further expert management as we await
the response of the Nigerian government. We expect them to act urgently to
respect the Nigerian constitution and the ruling of this honourable court to
grant the duo instant permit to travel for their treatment.
“As a peaceful Movement, we have
kept to our clean tradition of keeping faith with due process in seeking
redress through peaceful means without any resort to violence despite
deliberate and persistent provocations by the government.
“We wish to use this opportunity
to also say a big thank you to all people of conscience, particularly some very
senior citizens, diplomats, human rights activists and organizations,
journalists and the general public who doggedly stood by us in the campaign for
justice for the victims of Zaria genocide.”
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