Shi’tes cry out: El-Zakzaky will go blind except something drastic is done

The Islamic Movement of Nigeria has called on the federal government to release Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, its leader, from detention.

The group said El-Zakzaky’s “health is fast deteriorating” and could potentially go blind if urgent steps aren’t taken.

El-Zakzaky has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) for years despite court orders for his release.

He was arrested in December 2015 after the Shi’ites and the Nigerian army clashed in Zaria, Kaduna state.

In a statement on Saturday, IMN accused the government of toying with the health of El-Zakzaky by denying him “urgent medical attention”.

Ibrahim Musa, the group’s spokesman, said: “The Sheikh, who was shot severally more than two years ago, losing his left eye in the process, is at a great risk of losing the other eye except something drastic is done.

“He further suffered a mild stroke in January this year, consequent on the stress and psychological trauma he has had to face, associated with his poor physical condition in the illegal detention and the lack of adequate care. He has not fully recovered from that ever since.”

The group said the “lackadaisical attitude of the government” is unacceptable.

It blamed El-Zakzaky’s woes on the “heinous action of agents of the government…who have continued to defy justice and reason by continuing to hold him in very stringent and inimical condition.

“The same can be said of his wife, who is similarly faced with very serious health challenges of her own.

“Let it be clearly known therefore that, the federal government will be held directly responsible should anything happen to the Sheikh or his wife while in their custody.

“This government must be told some doses of the stark truth.”

In June 2016, Lai Mohammed, minister of information, said there is no place to release El-Zakzaky to as “nobody wants to accept him as a neighbour”.

Two months ago, El-Zakzaky made a public appearance from detention(pictured), where he briefly addressed journalists to say he was alive and “getting better”.