El-Zakzaky poisoned in detention, dying

Hypertension, partial paralysis, blindness are among the syndrome of diseases eating away the leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky held in detention since 2015.

The medical report of the Shiite leader was published Monday by Saharareporters.

His lawyer Femi Falana, SAN, said his client has been poisoned.

The Department of State Services, DSS, ordered the test on July 8, and it was conducted at the Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital, Department of Family Medicine on July 12, 2019.

The report for the DSS’ medical inquiry, signed by Dr Ramatu Abubakar (M.B.B.S, FMCFP, MRH), a consultant family physician, states that El-Zakzaky, who is 60 years old, is “hypertensive”.

The range of medical condition ravaging El-Zakzaky include “Hemimiparesis with left facial neck paralysis 18 months ago, secondary to the Ischemic phenomena in the brain.”

In April, he was diagnosed, by a team of foreign doctors, with “Ischaemic heart disease, left ventricular hypertrophy, chronic hypertension, cervical spondylitis causing nerve compression, right eye severe visual impairment with progressive open glaucoma, macular atrophy and left eye anophthalmia in addition to mental toxicity.”

His effort by Falana to obtain medical bail to travel out was initially declined by court—just as the government has refused to obey court order granting him bail.

But the Kaduna High Court on Monday fixed August 5, 2019, to rule on an application for medical attention filed by El-Zakzaky.

According to Falan who gave an update on his client on Monday, the couple are in dire need of medical attention.

“They have pellets of bullets lodging in their bodies which is responsible for lead poisoning of their blood.”