Sheikh Zakzaky Expected To Land Nigeria Soon From India, May Have Been Poisoned

Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky is now confirmed to be on his way back to Abuja, Nigeria following the inability to end the disagreement that ensued in his treatment in New Delhi, India.

According to PRNigeria report, Sheikh Zakzaky and his entourage departed New Delhi in a commercial airline at 5pm Nigerian time today.

From New Delhi to Lagos, Nigeria is about 10 hours, 33 minutes.

According to the report, “In a video message sent through his office, the Sheikh said it was decided that they would be flown back to Nigeria.

“He prayed that may be the best option in the circumstances”.

Quoting a top member of of Islamic Human Right Commission (IHRC) who negoatiated the medical treatment in India, the report said that the “Nigerian government’s interference and scuttling of the whole process rather than supervision as ordered by the court is the direct cause of the impasse”.

Meanwhile, a report in the BBC, says El-Zakazy is suffering for lead and cadmium poisoning that may be from shrapnel in his body.

El-Zakzaky was among hundreds of people arrested in 2015 after security forces stormed the headquarters of his the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) and killed about 350 people.

He and his wife have been in custody ever since awaiting trial and arrived in India on Monday after being granted leave to seek medical treatment earlier this month.

BBC quoted the sheikh’s daughter Suhaila Zakzaky as saying that the poisoning may be as result of shrapnel in his body “from when he was shot in 2015 when the Nigerian arm raided our home”.

She added that her father had had an eye operation in Nigeria to remove shrapnel lodged in one of his eyes but his sight had been declining ever since.

Ms Zakzaky told BBC’s Focus on Africa radio she was concerned about his condition:

“I am really worried… especially because of the lead and cadmium poisoning. His doctors say if he gets to a certain level his organs could start failing and that’s really scary because that means he could just die at any moment.”

“This,” according to BBC, “backs up a medical report received by an Indian Shia group offering to pay the IMN leader’s bills at Medanta Hospital. It told the BBC on Wednesday that the sheikh had been diagnosed with lead poisoning.”

It quoted Ms Zakzaky as saying that she had spoken to her father on Wednesday morning and he was unhappy that armed police were outside his room and that he was not able to be treated by his own chosen doctors.

He no longer felt safe and might choose to leave, she said.

By PRNigeria with additional reporting by News Express