El-Zakzaky’s half freedom

It has been months since the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky and his wife, Malama Zeenah, were discharged and acquitted after spending almost six years in detention. The couple who were arrested in December 2015, had languished in the custody of the State Security Service, before being transferred to Kaduna […]

It has been months since the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky and his wife, Malama Zeenah, were discharged and acquitted after spending almost six years in detention.

The couple who were arrested in December 2015, had languished in the custody of the State Security Service, before being transferred to Kaduna Correctional facility in early December 2019, with life threatening injuries and health complications.

It would be recalled that in July 2019, the couple were granted bail to urgently travel to India in order to attend to their failing health. Unfortunately, they aborted the trip without receiving medical attention. 

Now that the couple have been acquitted of all charges filed against them by the Kaduna State government, justice demands that they should be allowed to attend to their health wherever they choose to go, without undue frustration. But on the contrary, since their aborted medical trip, the couple’s passports and other documents that will allow them to travel are reportedly withheld by security agents.

In an interview with Press TV on September 29, the Sheikh pointed out that an attempt to procure new ones proved abortive as they were reportedly told ‘passport flagging order’ was placed on them – meaning they would not be able to leave the country.

Many doctors, after carefully reviewing the couple’s health conditions, have advised that they would best be treated outside the country. 

The Sheikh and his wife have suffered enough, not allowing them to travel at the moment is tantamount to rubbing salt in the wound.

Najeeb Maigatari, 

Jigawa State