Shiite leader El-Zakzaky reported to have lost one eye while in detention while his wife still has bullets in her body

ISLAMIC Movement of Nigeria (IMN) leader Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky is reported to have lost one eye and in urgent need of medical treatment as his health has deteriorated while he is being held in custody.

 

Since December 2015, Sheikh El-Zakzaky has been in detention following a clash between his supporters and the Nigerian Army in Zaria. He has since been granted bail but the federal government has refused to free him and his supporters have since organised several marches and demonstrations to secure his release.

 

Yesterday, Sheikh El-Zakzaky's lawyer Femi Falana told a Kaduna high court that his client has lost one eye and is in need of urgent attention. He also said Sheikh El-Zakzaky’s wife, Zeenatuddeen, also in detention,  needed urgent medical attention as the bullets in her body were yet to be removed.

 

Sheikh El-Zakzaky is currently facing trial over allegations of unlawful assembly, disruption of public peace and culpable homicide filed against him by the Kaduna State government. He was denied bail by Justice Gideon Kurada during the last sitting on November 7, 2018 and Mr Falana is fighting to get the court to grant another application.

 

According to Mr Falana, he had applied to the court to grant Sheikh El-Zakzaky and his wife bail because since their arrest, neither have been given adequate medical attention. He added that the Kaduna State government team led by the state attorney-general had applied to withdraw the case against two of the four defendants, leaving only Sheikh El-Zakzaky and his wife as the defendants.

 

Mr Falana said: “We have no objection to that so the application was granted, We then applied for urgent medical attention for both of them on the grounds that since both of them were shot by the army on December 14, 2015, they have not been given adequate medical attention.

 

“We, therefore, pray the court allows them to remain alive so as to stand trial since they are ready for the trial. In the case of Sheikh El-Zakzaky, he has lost an eye in detention  and is in the process of losing the second eye because he has developed glaucoma, while in the case of the wife, the bullets on her have not been totally extracted after three years and she suffers excruciating pains.”

 

After the hearing, the case was adjourned to March 25 to enable the embattled Shiite leader and his wife get medical attention according to Mr Falana. It is believed that they will most likely be treated in a military hospital.

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