El-zakzaky frustrating Indian hospital authorities – FG

The Federal Government, on Wednesday, said that Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, the leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), was frustrating the authorities of the Indian hospital where he was taken to for medical treatment .

The cleric, who was arrested in 2015 following a clash between his members and military personnel in Zaria, was granted bail on medical grounds, following a Kaduna High Court order on Aug. 5, 2019.

He was allowed to travel to India, via Dubai, for medical treatment on Sunday, Aug. 12, along with his wife.

A statement titled, “The true story on El-Zakzaky in India”, signed by Grace Isu Gekpe, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, in Abuja, said that the cleric refused to subject himself to preliminary medical checks after State officials refused to handover his International Passport to him.

“He also demanded free movement and access to visitors of all kinds, and also requested to be allowed to check into a 5-Star Hotel instead of being admitted in the hospital.
“That request was rejected on the ground that he came into the country for medicals, and not as a tourist, especially with the Visa issued on medical grounds and not for tourism.
“He also demanded that Police protection be withdrawn from him by the Indian authorities.
“Against medical ethics and standard practice, he requested to nominate Doctors of his choice to join the ones tasked by Medanta Hospital to perform medical treatment on him and his wife.
“That demand created a stalemate as the Hospital insisted that he would not dictate to it on the choice of medical personnel to carry the required medical treatment.
“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 statement said.

The statement urged Nigerians to disregard El-Zakzaky’s claims that he was being held in circumstances worse than he was in Nigeria.