El-Zakzaky, wife suffering from metal poisoning — Court documents

The leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, Sheikh Ibraheem
El-Zakzaky, and his wife, Zeenat, have told the Kaduna State High
Court in Kaduna that they are battling heavy metal poisoning caused
by gunshot pellets in their body system.

This is contained in the court documents filed on behalf of the
couple seeking the court’s permission to travel to India for
medical attention.

The documents obtained by The PUNCH, not Nairalaw on
Monday stated that El-Zakzaky “suffers from severe recurrent stroke
and shock”.

They said his wife too “suffers from heavy metal poisoning” as a
result of the “gunshot pellets lodged in the iliac region of her
abdomen”.

An affidavit filed in support of their application stated in
part, “That the heavy metabolic poisoning is two hundred per cent
higher than normal in the body system of each of the
applicants.”

The application was filed by Mr Femi Falana (SAN), before the
High Court of Kaduna State on behalf of El-Zakzaky and his wife,
specifically seeking the leave of the court permitting the couple
to seek an “urgent medical treatment at Medanta Hospital, New
Delhi, India, and to return to Nigeria (for continuation of trial)
as soon as they are discharged from the hospital”.

Falana had alleged that the couple was shot soldiers in the
convoy of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai, in Zaria,
Kaduna State in December 2015.

A further affidavit filed in support of the application cited
information obtained from the couple’s physician, Dr Ramatu
Abubakar, that her medical team had had to attend to them on many
occasions at the Kaduna State Environmental Protection Agency
health facility “which is grossly inadequate in meeting the dire
health challenges of the applicants herein”.

It added that on July 14, 2019, the doctor was hurriedly called
in to attend to the El-Zakzaky “after he again relapsed into a
partial stroke”.

The affidavit also stated, “That the applicants herein have
heavy metal poisoning in their body system as a result of the
inability of the complainant/respondent (prosecution)and their
agents to remove the toxicity ensuing from the life-threatening
gunshot wounds they sustained during the December 25, 2015 raid on
their home.

“That heavy metal poisoning is a severe condition that can
damage the whole organ and sudden death may occur if emergency
treatment is not obtained.”

Falana on July 18, 2019 argued the application on behalf of his
client with the Director, Public Prosecutions, Kaduna State
Ministry of Justice, Diri Bayero, opposing it at the hearing before
Justice Darius Khobo.

Justice Khobo fixed July 29 for ruling.

Subscribe ToNairalaw News!