Free Zakzaky Movement Speaks on Court’s Decision on Bail for Shiite Leader

Today, Monday 05/08/19 we obtained a favourable
judgement in the ruling on application specifically seeking for the
court’s permission to allow Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky and his wife,
Malama Zeenat Ibrahim to seek urgent medical treatment outside this
country.

This ruling is not only a vindication that leaving all
doors open to obtain favourable outcomes works, but it is a victory
for our dogged determination, patience and perseverance in the face
of extreme persecution. It is a victory for truth and justice
against tyranny and impunity.

It will be recalled that the applicants are known to
be clearly very ill in detention, consequent on the brutal wounds
unjustifiably inflicted on them by the state agents in the name of
Nigerian army, the resultant prolonged dehumanizing detention in
the custody of the Department of State Security (DSS) and the
obvious poisoning of the Sheikh. As a result of all these physical
and psychological stresses, the Sheikh suffered series of mild
strokes and is at the risk of further recurrences.

Meanwhile, he lost one eye following the military
attack and is at a severe risk of losing sight completely in the
other. He is now found to have more than twenty times the toxic
levels of lead poison in his body! Similarly, the wife has been
under excruciating pains with shrapnel deeply lodged in her body
for all these years of inhuman conditions in detention. She now is
able to ambulate only with the use of a wheelchair.  Both were
not even able to make it to the court in the last two sittings.
They have been battling ailments that could not be treated in
Nigeria, as posited by the foreign medical experts that earlier in
the year assessed their health condition. Undoubtedly, both risk
losing their lives had this favourable ruling been denied or
further delayed.

We are all aware of the blurred human rights records
of the Nigerian government which hardly respects court orders in
contravention of the constitutional provisions. Previously, Sheikh
Zakzaky and his wife were still kept in detention incommunicado in
spite of previous court judgement ordering their immediate release
from detention, thereby further flaunting their fundamental rights
and further jeopardizing their deteriorating health. With this
recent ruling by the court today, we will finalize urgent plans to
transfer them to a more appropriate foreign health facility for
further expert management as we await the response of the Nigerian
government. We expect them to act urgently to respect the Nigerian
constitution and the ruling of this honourable court to grant the
duo instant permit to travel for their treatment.

As a peaceful Movement, we have kept to our clean
tradition of keeping faith with due process in seeking redress
through peaceful means without any resort to violence despite
deliberate and persistent provocations by the government.

We wish to use this opportunity to also say a big
thank you to all people of conscience, particularly some very
senior citizens, diplomats, human rights activists and
organizations, journalists and the general public who doggedly
stood by us in the campaign for justice for the victims of Zaria
genocide. Thank you and God bless.