Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky,
The Federal Government has accused leader of the Islamic Movement
in Nigeria, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, of “becoming uncontrollable” in
India.
The Shi’ites leader is currently in India for medical treatment, based on a court order.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Culture, Grace
Gekpe, alleged this in a statement made available to journalists in
Abuja.
Gekpe was reacting to an audio message in which El-Zakzaky openly
complained about the increased security presence around him in the
Indian hospital.
She described his claim as “a foul cry” that should be disregarded.
She said the Islamic cleric started displaying “ulterior motives against
laid down procedures” when he and his wife had a stopover in Dubai.
She said the situation continued in India where El-Zakzaky initially
insisted that he should be checked into a hotel instead of a hospital
and also asked for unfettered access to visitors.
According to Gekpe, the situation got to a stage that the Indian authorities expressed their readiness to return him to Nigeria.
The statement read, “The Court on August 5, 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 August 12, 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 five-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protection be withdrawn from him by the Indian authorities.”
Gekpe further alleged that, “against medical ethics and standard
practice, El-Zakzaky 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, she added, created a stalemate, and the hospital insisted that he
would not dictate to it on the choice of medical personnel to carry out
the required medical treatment.
She added, “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 internationalise his group’s activities.
“Against this background, the Nigerian government wishes to commend the
stand of the Indian Government as well as apologise 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.”