El-Zakzaky Now Blind In One Eye, Walks With A Limp – Counsel

Ibrahim-El-Zakzaky

Leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Sheik Ibraheem El-Zakzaky in bad physical condition having lost an eye, motor functions of one of his hands and now walks with a limp.
Counsel to the Islamic cleric, Mr. Festus Okoye, stated this yesterday at a press briefing in Kaduna State.
Mr. El-Zakzaky, leader of the Shiite sect in Nigeria and his wife, Zeenat, have been in detention at an undisclosed government facility since mid-December 2015 following a deadly clash between his followers and the Nigeria Army in Zaria.
It has now been confirmed that over 300 members of the Islamic movement were killed by soldiers during the clash and given mass burial at a secret location around Mando in Kaduna.
Mr. Okoye, who said the legal team of the movement met with El-Zakzaky and his wife recently, said the latter was in a better shape as the three bullets lodged in her sides had been removed through surgery.
“The leader of the Islamic movement in Nigeria now walks with a limp, the left eye is completely damaged, the left hand has lost its motor functions”, the lawyer said.
Mr. Okoye said from what the IMN leader recounted to them, it was obvious that he (El-Zakzaky), his wife and three daughters survived what he called attacks by the Army by the “skin of their teeth” but three of his sons died in the attack.
The lawyer said based on the instructions from the IMN leader, his legal team had taken the matter to court to enforce his fundamental human rights, which he said had been infringed upon by his continued detention without trial and without being informed of the basis upon which he is being detained.
He said the IMN is seeking the court to declare that the invasion of the residence of El-Zakzaky in Gyellesu, Zaria is a violation of his human rights; that the shooting of El-Zakzaky by armed soldiers is illegal and unconstitutional; that the extra judicial killing of three of El-Zakzaky’s children is illegal and unconstitutional and that the arrest of the IMN leader violates his human rights.
“We still insist there are three parties to the conflict of December 12 to 14 2016. These are the Nigeria Army, the Islamic movement in Nigeria and the Kaduna State Government. It is therefore clear that the issues have not been joined and Kaduna State Government cannot be seen as impartial arbiter in the whole conflict”, he asserted.
Mr. Okoye said the IMN, having pulled out of the judicial commission of inquiry, cannot go back as it is clear to them that the commission is partisan while it cannot enforce some of the recommendation since one of the parties, the Nigeria Army, is a federal government agency.