Nigeria: We re Not Undermining Zakzaky s Medical Treatment
De CidesaWiki
India has refuted reports that it is undermining the medical treatment of Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky, the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN). Sheikh Zakzaky and his wife, Zeenat are in India for medical treatment after securing a medical bail. But the sect alleged that Nigerian and US officials have not allowed their leader to see his doctors. 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. High Commission assured that medical treatment is provided to consenting patients.tinyurl.com Protocol and safety steps are taken as necessary. 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.
The Nigerian authorities must immediately comply with a High Court order and release the leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) Ibraheem El-Zakzaky and his wife from detention, said Amnesty International. El-Zakzaky, and his wife Malama Zeenah Ibraheem, have been in detention without charge for more than a year following a clash between his supporters and the Nigerian military in which soldiers slaughtered hundreds of men, women and children. The authorities claim he is being held in "protective custody". "The 45 day deadline given for their release expires today. If the government deliberately disregards the orders of its own courts, it will demonstrate a flagrant - and dangerous - contempt for the rule of law," said Makmid Kamara, Interim Director of Amnesty International Nigeria. "El-Zakzaky is being unlawfully detained. On 2 December 2016 the Federal High Court in Abuja ruled that El Zakzaky and Malama Zeenah Ibraheem should be released within 45 days. The court described their detention, which began in December 2015, as illegal and unconstitutional. The deadline for the court order expires on Monday 16 January.
The Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed sent the Internet buzzing yesterday when he claimed the Nigerian government spends about N3.5 million monthly to feed detained leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) Ibrahim El-Zakzaky. The Shiite cleric has been in custody since December 2015 after soldiers clamped down on his supporters killing dozens of them. Mohammed claimed he got the figure from relevant government agencies, describing the IMN issue as "sensitive."The television station that released the clip has since apologised to the minister. Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday challenged the African Parliamentary Union (APU) to develop strategies for helping governments confront terrorism, armed banditry and organised crimes in member states.
He spoke yesterday while addressing the 73rd Session of the Executive Committee and 41st Conference of Speakers of National Parliaments of the African Parliamentary Union held in Abuja. Buhari said Nigeria, on its part, had done a lot to reverse the terror trend and halt the advancement of Boko Haram in collaboration with neighbouring countries. According to him, such collaboration has strengthened the nations' armed forces and spawned programmes that address widespread poverty. In his remarks, president of APU, Senate President Bukola Saraki, stressed the need to share ideas and device new strategies for addressing challenges facing the continent. Saraki also urged African parliamentarians to support the executive arm of government with strong legislations that would uplift the standard of living of the people.
The Federal Government led by President Muhammadu Buhari has made revelations on the outcry by the leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), also known as Shiites, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, over his medical treatment in India. Naija News recalls that El-Zakzaky had refused treatment from those he called "unknown doctors" put in place to treat him in India, insisting to be treated by those booked to treat him before he and his wife left Nigeria. Reacting to the furore, the Federal Government, through the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Culture, Grace Isu Gekpe, recalled the genesis of El-Zakzaky’s situation. The Federal Government in a statement Monday night, August 14, recalled that the Court on 5th August 2019 granted EL-Zakzaky leave to travel to India for medical treatment.
According to the statement, "In line with the Court Order, El-Zakzaky was approved to embark on the trip with State officials and his choice to be accompanied by his aides and personal Doctors was not opposed by the government.bet9ja.com "On 12th August 2019, he and other members of the entourage went to India via Dubai. It is to be noted that El-Zakzaky particularly chose Medanta Hospital, India. "However, on reaching Dubai, El-Zakzaky began to display ulterior motives against laid down procedures. "He requested that his passport be handed over to him but the State officials would not budge to his pressure.
The situation became worse in India as he refused to subject himself to preliminary medical checks. "In addition, he demanded free movement and access to visitors of all kinds as well as requested to be allowed to check into a 5-Star Hotel instead of being admitted in the hospital. "The request was refused on the ground that he came into the country for medicals and not as a tourist (more so that his Visa was issued on medical grounds and not for tourism). He also demanded that Police protection be withdrawn from him by the Indian authorities. "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. "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. "The government also wishes to use this opportunity to affirm its readiness to undertake the prosecution of El-Zakzaky through due process if and when he is returned to the country. On this note, his foul cry that he is being held in circumstances worse than he was in Nigeria should be disregarded," the statement added. Download Naija News App. Advertise with us. Send us enquiries and press releases.
South West Coordinator of the group, Muftau Zakariya, led members of the group on a protest in Abuja on Wednesday, during which he called on Nigerians from the South West to vote out the President in the 2019 elections. The group said the statement by Zakariya does not represent the aims and objectives of the organisation, noting that voting or not voting Buhari in 2019 is not their business, as the movement will never dabble into political affairs. The position was made known by a representative of the sect, Engr. The Nigeria system is corrupt and the problem of Nigeria is not who is ruling; the problem is what is ruling the nation. All we know is that this system is corrupt; this is a system of injustice; this is a system of tyranny and oppression and we are going to do away with this system. Musa said the movement would not relent in its quest to fight against injustice and oppression being perpetrated by those in the positions of authority.
The federal government has accused the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, of having ulterior motives against the laid down procedures for his medical trip. PREMIUM TIMES reported how Mr El-Zakzaky in an audio accused the Nigerian govt of frustrating his treatment in India. He said his hospital ward was heavily militarized, worse than the situation at the detention centre he was held in Nigeria. He also said his personal doctor was not allowed to be part of the medical team at the hospital despite earlier agreements. In its response, the Nigerian government accused the Shiite leader of going against agreed terms. The government's statement was signed by the permanent secretary of the ministry of information and culture, Grace Gekpe. Read the full government statement below. The Court on 5th August, 2019 granted Sheikh Ibraheem EL-Zakzaky leave to travel to India for medical treatment.
Consequently, the Government and its relevant agencies took steps to comply with the Order. In line with the Court Order, El-Zakzaky was approved to embark on the trip with State officials and his choice to be accompanied by his aides and personal Doctors was not opposed by the government. On 12th August, 2019, he and other members of the entourage went to India via Dubai. It is to be noted that El-Zakzaky particularly chose Medanta Hospital, India. However, on reaching Dubai, El-Zakzaky began to display ulterior motives against laid down procedures. He requested that his passport be handed over to him but the State officials would not budge to his pressure.
The situation became worse in India as he refused to subject himself to preliminary medical checks. In addition, he demanded free movement and access to visitors of all kinds as well as requested to be allowed to check into a 5-Star Hotel instead of being admitted in the hospital. The request was refused on the ground that he came into the country for medicals and not as a tourist (more so that his Visa was issued on medical grounds and not for tourism). He also demanded that Police protection be withdrawn from him by the Indian authorities. 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. 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 to use their country to internationalise 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. The government also wishes to use this opportunity to affirm its readiness to undertake the prosecution of El-Zakzaky through due process if and when he is returned to the country. On this note, his foul cry that he is being held in circumstances worse than he was in Nigeria should be disregarded.
One of Nigeria’s leading prelates has warned that the president’s recent actions against the African nation’s small Shi’ite minority is a threat to religious freedom for all believers in the country. Nigeria’s 182 million people are nearly evenly divided between Christians and Muslims; however, the vast majority of the Muslims are members of the Sunni branch of Islam. Shia Islam is a recent import to the country, and most of Nigeria’s 2-4 million Shi’ites are followers of Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky, the leader of the IMN. Zakzaky came to prominence in the aftermath of Iran’s revolution, when the Ayatollah Khomeini became an icon of anti-Western Islam around the world, including among many Sunnis.
Technically, the IMN is open to Sunnis, too, although it is mainly a vehicle for organizing Shi’ites. Because of its recent origins and Iranian influences, Nigeria’s Shi’ites have been viewed with suspicion by the country’s Sunni Muslims, and been subjected to discrimination and persecution. Zakazky has been in custody since 2015, when a raid on his residence left hundreds of his followers dead. The sheikh was later ordered released by a court, but the government refused; deadly clashes at demonstrations in the capital demanding his release are what led to the judicial order calling for the banning of the IMN. The members of the IMN blame the security forces for the violence, and claim their demonstrators aren’t even armed.
Cardinal John Onaiyekan, the Archbishop of Abuja, said the actions against the country’s Shi’ites is a worrying development. "Personally, my own position is that we cannot keep quiet and allow this kind of thing to keep going on," the cardinal said. The same day, Onaiyekan spoke to reporters in the capital about the issue. "Their leader has been under detention against court orders, ordering that he be released, a court order that we have been told very bluntly that has been rejected by the executive," the prelate continued. President Muhammadu Buhari was re-elected this year, despite the simmering tensions with Nigeria’s Christian population, which is concentrated in the south of the country. The Catholic bishops have accused the president of not doing enough to combat Muslim herdsmen from attacking mostly Christian farmers in Nigeria’s "Middle Belt" - where the Muslim north meets the Christian south.
