Hawzah News Agency (Abuja, Nigeria) – Sheikh Zakzaky's son, Mohammed, issued a statement warning of his father's critical condition

It is time for justice to the oppressed Sheikh Ibraheem Ya’qoub El-Zakzaky

As a matter of urgency, we find it extremely necessary to intimate you on the series of oppression, by the State, on our revered leader Sheikh El- Zakzaky and his wife. An Appendix, which depicts the chronology of events that happened to the duo since 14th December 2015 to date, is attached herewith for your humble perusal.

The promptness of your action at this juncture is glaring as all efforts by the State are indicative of deliberate attempts to eliminate the leader who commands the followership of millions of good citizens of Nigeria. This trend is very disturbing and dangerous considering the current genuine critical concerns on the rising insecurity situation in the country and the COVID-19 pandemic, more especially as it relates to Correctional center, Kaduna, where the ailing duo are illegally being detained.

Currently, you may not be unaware of the following:

i. Illegal court trial to prosecute the duo by Governor El- Rufa’i of Kaduna State which includes charges on abetting culpable homicide.

ii. Sabotage of the urgent need for appropriate medical treatment of the duo.

We humbly implore you to exploit all avenues at your disposal to prevail on president Buhari, Governor El-Rufa’i and any other pertinent personality locally or abroad, to halt this State oppression and subsequently take, at least, the following measures without further delay because justice delayed is justice denied:

1. Obey the outstanding high court order to free Sheikh El- Zakzaky and his wife unconditionally.

2. Expedite action on the immediate evacuation of the duo to appropriate health facility for urgent medical treatment.

Thank you

 

APPENDIX:

CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS THAT HAPPENED TO SHEIKH IBRAHEEM EL- ZAKZAKY AND HIS WIFE MALAMA ZEENAT SINCE 14TH DECEMBER 2015 TO DATE

I. 12 – 14th December, 2015: Zaria massacre by the Nigerian Army, under the pretext of road blockage to the convoy of Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen. Tukur Buratai, (48 hours of continuous cordon off, shooting and shelling using grenades on civilian targets at Hussainiyya, Gyallesu and Darur Rahamah quarters in Zaria), where:

•           Well armed soldiers attacked the mentioned sites. More than 1000 unarmed followers of Sheikh Zakzaky were either killed with live ammunition by unprovoked soldiers or missing.

•           Their residence at Gyallesu was a set ablaze while they were indoors. Many injured women men and children were burnt alive. El- Zakzaky, wife, children and some handful followers miraculously survived the fire. They took cover under the laundry when, by God’s grace, the overhead water tank busted to provide them shield from the fire. The ravaging soldiers later discovered that these people were alive and rushed to accomplish their evil mission.

•           The few followers, three male children of El- Zakzaky, namely, Ali, Hammad and Humaid were killed instantly in succession by snipers.

•           His wife, Zeenat, was shot severally at close range more specifically in the abdomen. 

•           Sheikh El Zakzaky was shot at close range. Specifically the bullets were targeted to the lethal parts of the human body: the skull, the heart and the femur (thigh) vein. His battered body was dragged over the dead bodies of his children.

•           Despite this ordeal, the two victims survived miraculously and were kept at DSS custody.

•           347 combined women, men and children were buried in mass grave at Mando in Kaduna overnight. Satellite Images by the Amnesty International exposed this attempt to cover evidence. This crime against humanity was later attested by the Secretary to Kaduna State government at the sitting of the State Judicial commission of inquiry, JCI.

II.  January 2016: Governor Nasir El-Rufa’i of Kaduna State set up a Judicial Commission of Inquiry to investigate on the Zaria massacre. The following observations should be noted:

•           Some of the members of the commission appointed were drawn from arch antagonists of Sheikh Zakzaky and the Islamic Movement he leads. This was attested through their public demonization and through their writings in books, print and social media (Examples: Prof. Umar Labdo, Prof. Salisu Shehu and Malam Salihu Abubakar).

•           For reasons better known to them, the commission did not seek the indulgence of DSS to allow the principal witness and victim, Sheikh Zakzaky, to give his own account of the pogrom. On the other hand, the Army was allowed to testify. This was a clear indication that the commission was bent to be partial and discriminatory. Hence disciples of the Sheikh decided not to partake in its deliberations.

•           At the end of its deliberations in July same year, the commission could not cover the heinous crime of the Nigerian Army and declared that they used excessive force against their rules of engagement.

•           The General Officer Commanding the Nigerian Army (One Division), Kaduna, Gen. Adeniyi Oyebade, together with some senior officers, were indicted and recommended for prosecution.

•           The Report kept mute on the role of Mr.  President as the Commander in Chief. Could he be ignorant of the large scale operation involving many troops and military hardware being executed for over 48 hours continuously?

III. June 2016: Transfer of Sheikh Zakzaky from Abuja to Kaduna still under DSS custody: The following should be noted:

•           The disciples of El- Zakzaky conduct peaceful protests in the FCT, Abuja in order to demand for the release of our leader.

•           This prompted the Federal Government to transfer the Sheikh and his wife to Kaduna under custody of State DSS. Probably, they had a wishful thinking that the protests at the FCT could be shifted to Kaduna. The protests continued.

•           As a result of fatal gun shots, Sheikh Zakzaky lost one eye and the other eye was in critical condition needing urgent medical intervention. He has bullets that have not been removed from his body.

•           His wife Malama Zeenat was suffering from Osteo-arthritis. She also had bullets yet to be removed from her abdomen and some sensitive body parts.

•           The Sheikh and his wife were denied proper medical attention despite their ailing conditions.

•           Meanwhile, Sheikh Zakzaky has instituted a legal action against the authorities detaining him illegally and sought for his fundamental human right to freedom through his counsel Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) at the Abuja High court.

•           The DSS told the honourable court that they are holding the duo on ‘protective custody’

IV. 2nd December, 2016: Court order for discharge, acquittal and Compensation to the duo

The following should be observed:

•           Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the aforementioned court ruled that the detention of Sheikh Zakzaky and his wife Malama Zeenat is illegal and debunked the rather strange concept of protective custody and said it is alien to the Nigerian Law.

•           He ordered their unconditional release NOT bail.

•           He ordered that they must be compensated with 50 m Naira each and government must build a befitting house for them since their own was razed to ashes by the Army.

•           The President, Buhari, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) and the Director General, DSS all exhibited contempt to this court ruling and continued to keep the duo under illegal incarceration.

•           Meanwhile it was discovered that the Sheikh was suffering from lead and cadmium poisoning. This was partly due to the remnant bullets in his body and partly due to confirmed case of deliberate poisoning of the Sheikh in detention by the DSS operatives.

V. May 2018:  Charges against the duo by Kaduna State

•           In what appeared to be an afterthought (After two and half years of the Zaria genocide) the Federal Government connived with the Governor of Kaduna State and the latter instituted a case against a case. Please you may wish to take note of the following:

•           At the Kaduna high court under Justice Gideon Kurada, El-Rufa’i put up some charges against El-Zakzaky and wife, among which include abetting murder (culpable homicide).

•           There were over 200 disciples of El-Zakzaky in Kaduna Prison awaiting trial since the Zaria pogrom in 2015. The case involved among others, charges of culpable homicide. The case was split and treated by two different high courts.

•           It is this same murder case of one Army Corporal Dankaduna that El- rufa’i referred to in the illicit trial of El-Zazaky.

•           The first set, consisting of 100 disciples was discharged and acquitted for wanton of evidence and disparity of the time of the victim’s death vis a vis the timing of the Zaria massacre. The announcement of the judgment of the second set was suspended indefinitely. This may not be unconnected with the implication of the judgment on the illegal charges put up by El- Rufa’i against El- Zakzaky.

•           If those charged with murder were discharged and acquitted for want of evidence, what more of somebody who was alleged to abet same. Definitely he has no case.

•           Meanwhile the conditions of the duo continued to deteriorate. There were a lot of pressures from people of conscience, calls by Nigerian populace and daily protests in the FCT.

•           The Government allowed specialist medical doctors of international refute sponsored by IHRC (UK) to examine the duo. The doctors diagnosed multiple deadly ailments which need specialist hands and equipment which are not available in Nigeria. They therefore recommended treatment abroad.

VI. August, 2019: Medical bail and  the botched trip to India

•           The court grant medical bail for travel to Medanta Hospital in India under supervision by Security operatives

•           The   DSS, after having the presidential nod, this time around allowed for medical trip to India. However the trip was hijacked by operatives of the NIA and Sheikh discovered a sinister move to kill him under the cover of medical treatment in a foreign land. He was forced to come back to his mother land.

•           Sheikh El-Zakzaky and his wife, since after their return from the failed trip, were kept at the DSS custody incommunicado.

•           All of a sudden, the case of Sheikh El- Zakzaky and Malama Zeenat was slated for 5th December, 2019

VII. 5th December, 2019: Transfer from DSS custody to Kaduna Correctional Center (Prison).

•           Without recourse to the issue of the medical trip to India, the judge ruled out that the duo should be transferred to Kaduna Prison under the pretext that the defendants could be able to have access to their solicitors. We became suspicious that this move is sinister.

•           It was when the Attorney General ordered DSS to release Dasuki and Sowore that we were able to see the reasons behind the impromptu transfer of the duo to Prison.

•           Governor El- Rufai claimed that the case of the duo lies with the court and he is ready to sign death warrant if the judgment ruled so. Did he forget that the court has already ruled that the duo be freed but his boss President Buhari flagrantly disobeyed the order since December 2016?

•           The said court order is still outstanding and stands to be obeyed. El- Rufai, by instituting fresh charges against the duo, is even making a mockery of the Nigerian judiciary. The Judiciary should not have allowed the executive to subvert its independence in a democratic set up.

•           No one is left in doubt that those in Authority are bent on perpetual incarceration of the duo so that Sheikh can die in detention due to his critical ailments or they get time to prop up new charges of culpable homicide against him.

VIII. 6th February, 2020: Adjustments were made on the charges against El-Zakzaky and his wife. Next hearing postponed to Late April.

•           The case was now as if started afresh. They continue to delay justice, buying time so that the dou remain in perpetual detention and could die due to the critical ailments in their bodies.

•           For how long can these wicked people continue to misuse their political office and rubbish our legal system because of their selfish interests?

•           For how long can President Buhari with his front, governor El-rufai continue to oppress Sheikh El- Zakzaky?

•           Falsehood, treachery, no matter how long, can never stand. Ultimately,  it is the TRUTH that prevails

•           It is time for Justice. It is time to stop this gruesome crime against an oppressed personality and indeed a crime against humanity.

•           It is time to save Nigeria from avoidable crises.

•           God save Nigeria and the World from covid-19 pandemic.

•             #stay safe from covid-19infection#